LeBron won’t let Halloween distract you from the Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead
The Cleveland Cavaliers are on top of the NBA world. Not only did they kick off the 2016-17 campaign with a ring ceremony and banner raising 52 years in the making, they’ve followed it up with a perfect 3-0 start in which they’ve outscored their opponents by nearly 13 points per 100 possessions.
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With LeBron James and Kyrie Irving at the controls, the defending champs are playing loose, having fun and winning. The carefree and confident vibe they’re exuding even extended to James’ Halloween party this weekend, where the King welcomed all who dared enter his castle with the spookiest, scariest and most hilarious decoration of all time:
That’s right: the drum head on the drum kit of the skeleton band read “3-1 Lead,” a fright of a sight sure to send shivers down the spine of any Golden State Warriors fan who sees it. (And, just maybe, some still-superstitious Cleveland baseball fans, too.)
The perfectly petty drum-riser roast was just part of a stellar costume-party performance by the Cavs, which also featured host LeBron as Jerome, a TRUE PLAYA FROM THE HIMALAYAS:
I say Jerome in the house, in ya mouth!!!!
A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Oct 30, 2016 at 7:38pm PDT
If you’re too young to have watched “Martin” during its initial run or too busy to catch it on near-constant reruns on MTV2, please get familiar right here and right now:
Irving chose to protect the universe as a Power Ranger, and while I haven’t watched an episode of the show in a while, I don’t think I remember the Red Ranger dancing this much, or this well:
A video posted by Kyrie Irving (@kyrieirving) on Oct 30, 2016 at 5:54pm PDT
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With Kyrie swiping his Power Ranger steez, shooting guard J.R. Smith bounced back from some early uncertainty about his costume with a strong homage to the Hughes Brothers film “Dead Presidents”:
A photo posted by JR Smith (@teamswish) on Oct 31, 2016 at 7:51am PDT
Noted defensive stopper Kevin Love teamed up with his girlfriend, Kate Bock, for a “Dumb and Dumber”-themed costume that, dentally speaking, really went the extra mile:
A photo posted by KATE BOCK (@katebock) on Oct 30, 2016 at 8:38pm PDT
A photo posted by @kevinlove on Oct 30, 2016 at 9:17pm PDT
Iman Shumpert and Teyana Taylor got their “Suicide Squad” on, going as the Joker and Harley Quinn:
Only she may call me puddin #happyhalloween2016 #batman #post90
A photo posted by Iman Shumpert (@imanshumpert) on Oct 31, 2016 at 6:16am PDT
"Would you die for me?"
"Yes"
"….actually no, that's too easy……..would you live for me?"#happyhalloween #TheShumperts pic.twitter.com/qcRS4phzEa
— Iman Shumpert I (@imanshumpert) October 31, 2016
Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian also went the comic-book route for their couples costume, dressing up as the Black Panther and Storm:
A photo posted by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on Oct 31, 2016 at 7:44am PDT
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Mike Dunleavy Jr. and his wife Sarah made a strong first appearance at Cavs-related holiday festivities, showing up as 2002-era Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears:
Mike Dunleavy and his lady as Justin and Britney ????#Cavs pic.twitter.com/5IMwTHjaQW
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) October 31, 2016
Jordan McRae also went throwback with his costume, turning in a sterling Steve Urkel as joined by cheerleader “Laura Winslow”:
Urkel and Laura lit lol Halloween 2016 pic.twitter.com/0Ea7T0QpJf
— Jordan McRae (@JordyMac52) October 31, 2016
But as much effort as the players put in — and as much coin as the King reportedly dropped on ensuring authenticity in his Jerome ‘fit — nobody could hold a candle to Mike Mancias. LeBron’s personal trainer won the evening’s best costume award with his tribute to Jimmy Goldstein, everybody’s favorite leather-bound gadfly and NBA superfan:
A photo posted by Mike Mancias (@mikemancias1) on Oct 30, 2016 at 11:12pm PDT
Best costume! #ilovemyfamily❤️ @mikemancias1
A video posted by JR Smith (@teamswish) on Oct 30, 2016 at 9:12pm PDT
Twenty-nine other teams now find themselves in the unenviable position of trying to topple the Cavs off the court as well as on it. Step your Halloweens up, NBA. The Cavs are already leading in the clubhouse.
Halloween Hoopers.
(via @KingJames) pic.twitter.com/KDA2UOrIlg— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 31, 2016
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
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