Playoff time means no social media and phones for LeBron James.
The four-time NBA MVP has made it a habit since the Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals to lock out the outside world and avoid most forms of communication during the postseason.
James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing for Game 2 of their first-round series against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.
“I don’t care about nonsense. There’s too much nonsense out there,” James said. “This is a time where I lock in right now and I don’t need nothing creeping into my mind for no reason that don’t need to be there. I put all my energy and effort toward this team, that’s all that matters.”
James is so insulated that he said he didn’t know that Miami Heat president Pat Riley offered a dig at him Monday about his decision to leave Miami for Cleveland last summer. He also said he has not communicated with Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, a friend and business client, since he left rehab.
“I’m unaware,” James said. “Whatever he said, for me, it’s not my concern right now. My concern is Game 2. I have no notion of what transpired yesterday. … I have no forms of communication right now.
“So I don’t have no phones, I don’t have no social media or anything, so I don’t know what’s going on out in the world right now besides what people tell me. I guess you guys just keep me informed and I appreciate it.”
James’ last social media activity was before the Cavs’ playoff opener against the Celtics on Saturday night.
“Everybody do their own thing,” James said. “I’m the leader of this team, and I’ve got to be more in tuned that anybody — that’s how I approach it. It was hard early on, but I’ve been doing it for a few years now. It is very tough to just be away from everything. It’s just a challenge. I love challenges, and I don’t mind it.
“The only people I need to hear from is my family. I see them every day and when I’m on the road, I have ways to get in contact to them and I see those fans when I show up to the building. I’m around my guys every day, so nothing that’s happening … I need a form communication (can’t make it out).”
Teammate Kevin Love sees a difference in James now that the postseason has arrived. Love also plans to avoid social media during the playoffs.
“Just a lot more serious,” Love said. “He’s our leader and he’s the guy we look to, so we’re going to kind of follow suit. Everything trickles down after him. So he kind of goes dark on the social media, gets very serious around us and shootarounds like today, getting there before the game. You know it’s loose, but you know that there’s a lot at stake here.”