Byron Scott Warns LeBron His Knicks Comments Could Enrage Sixers Fans

Byron Scott did not hold back when LeBron James joked about the Knicks during Sixers media day. On his podcast, the former coach issued a pointed warning about Philadelphia's fanbase.

"LeBron, my brother, I love you. But why would you tell the fans in Philly that you wouldn't have been here if the Knicks wouldn't have won a championship? That you would have been in New York," Scott said, per www.basketballnetwork.net.

Scott didn't stop there. He went further, comparing the two cities' notoriously demanding crowds.

"The fans in Philly are worse than the fans in New York. They threw snowballs at Santa Claus," Scott added.

The reference landed with extra bite. Scott questioned the entire premise of the joke, wondering why James would poke at a rivalry that has defined recent playoff pain for the 76ers.

"Why even bring New York? I don't even get that part," Scott said.

LEBRON'S KNICKS JOKE

The joke came during the Sixers' media day, when LeBron James was asked about his career-long flirtation with New York. Per www.basketballnetwork.net, the four-time MVP said he would have seriously considered joining the Knicks — if they hadn't won the championship last season.

"I had visions of playing in Garden and finishing my career in the Garden," James said. "One of the best places I've ever played."

The punchline, as James framed it, was about the media circus that would have followed. He meant it as a joke that every outlet and analyst would have given him a hard time for joining the reigning champions, even on a veteran minimum deal.

The delivery landed flat in Philadelphia. Scott, a former Lakers coach who knows the Eastern Conference pressure cooker, heard the joke and heard a problem.

The Knicks have eliminated the 76ers in each of their last two playoff appearances. That context turned a lighthearted media-day quip into something sharper — a reminder of recent postseason pain, delivered by the franchise's new star.