Powell didn't appreciate LeBron trying to 'son' him with jersey tug

Hands off the merchandise, King.

It was during the Cleveland Cavaliers' 115-94 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 Friday when LeBron James was seen pulling on Norman Powell's jersey as he tried to exit the floor.

"They were subbing in P.J. (Tucker), he thought I was coming out, he was pulling my jersey," Powell told ESPN's Dave McMenamin Sunday ahead of Game 4 at Air Canada Centre. "I hit his hand away and told him, 'You don't do that.' I told him not to pull my jersey. We got into it a little bit. I told him not to pull my jersey. If he's trying to get my attention, call my name, call my number, but don't do that. Don't pull my jersey like that."

Had Powell reached the bench, the Raptors could have been whistled for an illegal substitution, and been given a technical foul as a result.

While he doesn't hold any animosity toward the four-time league MVP for his actions, Powell says he would have reacted the way he did whether it was James or anyone else.

"He said he was trying to help me," Powell said. "I mean, if you're trying to help me, don't pull my jersey. You can call my name, you don't have to pull my jersey like that. I feel like that's disrespectful. So, I hit his hand away. He said he was trying to help me. He was like, 'Alright, alright. I won't help next time.' Whatever. Just don't pull my jersey."

He added, "My coaches were telling me that I was staying in anyway, so he didn't need to do that. I thought it was a little extra and I told him not to do it. And that was that."

After losing two games at Quicken Loans Arena, Powell made it a point of emphasis ahead of Game 3 that he and his fellow Raptors weren't going to let the Cavaliers continue to be disrespectful (intentionally or not), and that they were done playing "soft" basketball."