Cleveland thanks LeBron, who carries Lakers past Cavs

The crowd roared and stood as James walked out and huddled with his new teammates, who must have wondered what was in store for them.

But unlike that ugly night of Dec 2, 2010, when James returned with the Miami Heat and was subjected to a toxic, charged atmosphere of hatred unlike anything seen before or since, this was a night for celebration — and maybe more closure.

James has moved on.

Cleveland, too.

With 8:09 left in the first quarter, James was saluted by the Cavs with a moving video tribute during a timeout. Images of James' playing days with Cleveland — highlighted by the Cavs' historic comeback to win the 2016 title — were shown along with video clips of his impact on the community, including his opening of the I Promise School in his hometown of Akron.

James was touched by the presentation. He bit his lower lip while walking back onto court and pointed to all corners of the building in appreciation, his chance to reconnect with a fan base he'll always share a special, if not complicated, relationship.

"I appreciate these fans, just as much as they appreciate me," he said. "Every single night we stepped on the floor, they always showed their appreciation to not only myself but to my teammates over these 11 years, especially the last four years —those championship runs that we were making. So that was just my salute to them for them appreciating what I was able to accomplish with my teammates and coaches along those four years."

Tip-ins

Lakers: Coach Luke Walton is impressed with James' knack for blocking out external distractions. "The great ones have that ability," he said. "When they're on the basketball court nothing else matters, other than what they're trying to do. Their focus level seems to somehow get higher with the louder the noise gets. I don't know how. I don't know why."