When James shed tears, no one knew if it would be the last time he returned.

Brownie intercepted the ball and charged down the court with no defenders in front of him; he went for a one-handed dunk, triggering possibly the biggest cheer of the night at the Cavaliers’ home arena. James, sitting on the bench, flashed one of his few smiles all game. Yet, in this “return home” match, James did not appear happy on the court.

The Lakers were crushed by 30 points on the road against the Cavaliers, with the breakdown occurring again in the third quarter as their defense collapsed entirely under a Cavaliers’ run. Doncic was injured at the start, James later twisted his ankle, and in the final quarter, James played just a symbolic few minutes before the Lakers let the game slip into garbage time.

Throughout the game, the Cavaliers committed only 8 turnovers, while the Lakers had 16, with James alone responsible for 6. Even on the court he knows best, James couldn’t find his rhythm, disrupted by repeated offensive fouls and failing to score from outside. He delivered his worst performance since turning 41.

James shot 3 of 10, finishing with 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, with a minus-23 plus-minus rating. Perhaps this is the typical competitive state for a veteran in his 23rd season.

Today, James reached 60,000 minutes of total regular-season playing time in his career, second only in NBA history to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 57,446 minutes. Including his extensive playoff appearances, James’s physical wear surpasses that of anyone else in league history.

The Cavaliers have had a rough season, carrying the highest payroll and luxury tax in the league but currently sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference — a position they only reached after a five-game winning streak. Beyond this valuable win, today’s game holds greater significance for the Cavaliers and Cleveland fans: it might be James’s final game ever in Cleveland’s home arena.

Therefore, the Cavaliers donned retro jerseys and laid down a vintage floor today, producing a tribute video honoring the former king of Cleveland. Most of the footage shows James’s famous 25-point streak against the Pistons that secured victory, ending with the iconic moment after the 2016 championship when James declared, “Cleveland, This Is For You!”

Watching the tribute video from the bench, James’s emotions surged; he lifted his Lakers jersey to wipe away tears. In the frozen photo, his graying hair adds warmth and tenderness to the scene.

What could bring a 41-year-old man to tears is nothing but family and hometown affection — the deepest emotions flowing through his veins. Wherever James goes, this emotional bond remains inseparable from him.

After the game, James said, “In every away arena I’ve played in, I always take the time to feel and remember everything. I haven’t made any decisions about my future career yet, so any away game could be my final one in that arena.”

Because he didn’t know if this was his last time playing here in his career, James was unusually moved by the tribute video. Of course, many believe the perfect ending would be for James to return home to Cleveland for his final season.

Many have asked me about the possibility of James going back to Cleveland, and my answer has always been that it’s unlikely. At this stage of his life, every decision revolves around family; he won’t impulsively abandon everything in Los Angeles to return to Cleveland. Moreover, as he ages, whether his body can still endure intense competition and whether he wants to continue playing that long remain uncertain.

If this turns out to be James’s last season, the tears he shed in the Cavaliers’ home arena, along with his son Brownie’s two late-game three-pointers and a dunk, might just be the best farewell possible.