Play.
The elbow on Stewart didn't warrant a suspension.
The league suspended him for an elbow on a teammate, but James doesn't agree with it. (0:38)
1:53 AM
The NBA suspended James for the first time in his 19-year career on Monday, and he will miss Tuesday's game against the Knicks.
Rob called me. James said he missed the call from the Lakers vice president of basketball operations. I knew I was suspended when I checked my phone and it was a missed call.
It's some bulls. But whatever.
James played in his first game back after sitting out the Knicks game for striking Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart in the face, and he played well in the overtime win against the Pacers.
The Lakers finished their five-game road trip with a record of 2-2 after James scored a season-high 39 points in Indianapolis.
While James gave the Indiana crowd a show -- even mimicking Sam Cassell's nether region dance after hitting a 3 late in regulation then breaking out an old celebration from his Miami Heat days -- it was a decidedly off-.
He missed out on a chance to play at Madison Square Garden when he was in the Western Conference.
James told the sports network he was devastated. It's my favorite place to play, so I was looking forward to it. It is what it is.
Even though the Lakers-Knicks game was broadcasted nationally, there was no attempt by the league office to keep James out of the game. There was no personal appeal between James and Silver. The investigation wouldn't be finished until after the Knicks game was over.
"No." James told the sports network that was not true. When you have that, I had a conversation with someone from the league. They did what the f--- they got to do when I asked my side of the story.
After the win over Indiana, James gave an explanation.
There was a box out on the free throw line. James said that his elbow lifted his arm and that he tried to swim down on him. He got off balance and the left side of my hand grazed his face when I swung down on his arm. I knew right away. I knew I had caught a part of his head. You guys saw what happened after I apologized to him. Definitely accidental.
James said that his case was made stronger by the fact that the Lakers' Russell Westbrook got a bloody lip from the Knicks' Quentin Grimes on Tuesday and that he himself was hit in the face.
"I hate to see that, what happened after that," James said. I didn't think it was worth a suspension. I thought it should have been ejected because of what happened after that. I'm probably still in the game and the fans are excited, so what could possibly happen after that? I didn't think the suspension was justified. We're here today because the league made that call.
James made the day a special one, lifting L.A. back to.500 at 10-10), and securing the win without Anthony Davis, who was out with flu-like symptoms.
"That's why he's the GOAT, man," said Monk, who had 17 points and eight rebound off the bench. I've been watching him my whole life. He's like Michael Jordan in my generation.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel was a big fan of James.
"Lebron did a performance for the ages tonight," he said. I know how much these fans love their basketball. He put on a show and got the game ball.
The place where James' team lost 136-94 in his first season with the Lakers was where he did it, and it wasn't lost on him.
The campaign went sideways. This season has looked questionable at times. James believes that there's improvement ahead for the Lakers, even though L.A. turned around its road trip.
James looked back at the trip and said the way it started was different than the way it ended. This is a tough building for us to play in. It's always been a challenge for me to play in the building, and Rick Carlisle's team is always well-coached.
It's a good trip to leave with a win. It's a good feeling to go back on Thanksgiving despite everything that's happened. The food will taste better.
