LeBron James to do chalk toss before Thursday night opener vs. Knicks
LeBron James will do his once-signature chalk toss prior to the Cleveland Cavaliers' season opener against the New York Knicks on Thursday night, he announced on Twitter.
According to James' announcement, 95 percent of voters supported the chalk toss.
The game is James' first regular season contest as a member of the Cavs since he announced his decision to return to Cleveland this offseason. James spent the last four seasons with the Miami Heat -- appearing in four NBA Finals and winning two titles -- after playing for Cleveland the first seven years of his career.
On Wednesday, James invited his fans on Twitter to vote as to whether he should do the chalk toss prior to Cleveland's home opener. When James played for the Cavaliers, the chalk toss was a fixture of the 10-time All-Star's pregame routine. James stopped the tradition soon after his arrival in Miami.
The Cavaliers are considered a favorite to win the Eastern Conference this season. Among SI.com's experts, four picked the Cavs to advance to the NBA Finals, though none predicted Cleveland to win the title.
• Cavaliers fans will join in on the LeBron James chalk toss
Cleveland missed the playoffs each of the last four years while James played for the Miami Heat. This offseason, the Cavs signed James and acquired All-Star forward Kevin Love through a trade with Minnesota.
James averaged 27.1 points, 6.3 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game last season for Miami. The Akron native won two MVPs with Miami, adding to the two he won with Cleveland in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
• SI's predictions for LeBron's first season back in Cleveland
- Stanley Kay
