On Saturday, the Los Angeles Lakers saw their eight-game winning streak snapped with a 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics.
While the defeat itself was tough enough, the Lakers’ bigger concern came in the fourth quarter when LeBron James was forced to exit the game due to an injury that could sideline him for weeks.
Despite this, James finished the game with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, but it was a particular moment during the game that quickly went viral and became the talk of social media.
In the fourth quarter, with the Lakers trailing by a significant 18-point margin, Jayson Tatum made a move to the basket and seemingly grazed LeBron with his elbow.
The contact appeared minimal, but James dramatically went down, flopping to the floor in what many described as a Hollywood-style reaction. The delayed fall, captured from multiple angles by high-definition cameras, made the situation look even worse in replay. Fans quickly jumped on social media to criticize James for exaggerating the contact, calling it a poor attempt to sell a foul.
Social Media reacts with mockery
The flop became a viral sensation on social media, with fans mocking James for his over-the-top reaction. One fan humorously dubbed him the “Best actor in LA,” attaching the viral clip to highlight the flop. Many others joined in, with one user accusing LeBron of flopping to cover up for poor defense.
“The dude gets beat and has to flop to cover how horrible his defense was,” a fan added.
Others were quick to make fun of the situation, with one fan joking that LeBron might be suited for a career in soccer due to the similarities between his flop and the theatrics often seen in the sport.
“He’s ready for his soccer career now,” the fan wrote, referencing the common tactic in soccer of exaggerating contact to earn yellow or red cards.
While the internet exploded with mockery, the flop also raised questions about the NBA‘s stance on such behavior. LeBron’s antics were compared to past flopping incidents, including a $2,000 fine recently imposed on Donovan Mitchell for similar actions. One fan even called for the NBA to fine James for his performance, suggesting, “He should start paying fines for these antics. It’s no wonder nobody watches the @NBA.”
Given the NBA’s anti-flopping rules, it’s possible that the league could take action against James for the incident, though no official comments have been made at this time.