JR Smith, LeBron and the Cavaliers Celebrating in a Hot Tub
By Jason McIntyre
It’s been a joy to watch the blossoming friendship of LeBron and JR Smith, and sometimes, I imagine myself alongside the duo, the pair gleefully carrying me on their backs for a ride to the Finals. JR Smith spent the last couple years in basketball purgatory in New York, and suddenly, he’s been thrust onto a team alongside the greatest basketball player on the planet, and he’s all smiles, all the time.
Whether it’s having the back of teammate Kevin Love, going bonkers from downtown against the Hawks or dominating social media, JR Smith seems to be having the time of his life. Tell me you wouldn’t love the role of being a guy who starts on the bench, and comes in with a singular purpose: Get buckets. Take any shot you want, just get me some buckets, Swish.
This celebration video, taken in a hot tub, perfectly encapsulates the vibe of the 2014-2015 Cavs (and perhaps partially explains why Kevin Love never fit in, on or off the court). There’s so much to unpack here: Iman Shumpert posing like he knows this is going viral; wiry Kyrie Irving flexing, finally a winner; designated goon Kendrick Perkins clutching ice packs on his knees; ‘Bron looking like the guy who is the first NBA player in over 50 years to go to five straight NBA Finals. I need to go download this song. (Been laughing at these cartoonish lyrics all morning.) Maybe then, we can all be friends.
The real question will be whether or not it is their final celebration video of the season. A lot of folks think the Warriors are going to smoke them in the Finals. I’m not so sure … yet.
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[HT @imanshumpertthe1st and @teamswish]