TORONTO -- Raptors guard Norman Powell did not appreciate LeBron James yanking his jersey to keep him on the court when Powell was headed to the bench in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 115-94 Game 3 win, even if James' intention was to help him.
"They were subbing in PJ [Tucker], he thought I was coming out, he was pulling my jersey," Powell told ESPN before Sunday's Game 4. "I hit his hand away and told him, 'You don't do that.' I told him not to pull my jersey. We got into it a little bit. I told him not to pull my jersey. If he's trying to get my attention, call my name, call my number, but don't do that. Don't pull my jersey like that."
Had Powell headed to the bench at that exact moment, the Raptors could have been called for an illegal substitution that would've resulted in a technical foul.
Powell, 23, said there is nothing personal between him and the 32-year-old James. It was how he would react with any opposing player.