Watch: LeBron James bows before Jim Brown prior to Cavs' Game 3 win

LeBron James bowed before NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown before the start of Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jun 9, 2015

The city of Cleveland is entrenched in a 51-year title drought, as no major professional team has won a championship since Jim Brown led the Cleveland Browns to the NFL Championship in 1964.

In present day, LeBron James is on a mission to end that prolonged stretch of sports mediocrity for his home state of Ohio. The Cavaliers stepped onto the court at Quicken Loans Arena with a legitimate shot in the NBA Finals. James carried the Cavaliers in a 96–91 victory in which he scored 40 points to set a record for most points through three games of an NBA Finals.

The promise of another title brought out Brown, an Ohio legend, to watch the Cavaliers play in Game 3. Prior to tip-off, James spotted Brown and paid homage by bowing, to which Brown responded with closed hands as a sign of gratitude, producing a historic moment for a city with a tortured sports history. Catch the shared respect in a vine.

Vine via RealGM

-- DeAntae Prince

GALLERY: Sports Illustrated's best photos from Game 3 of the NBA Finals

SI's Best Photos From Game 3 of the NBA Finals

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

SI's Best Photos from Game 3: Matthew Dellavedova rose to the occasion again for the Cavaliers in Game 3, scoring 20 points and making several hustle plays to help Cleveland win 96-91 to grab a two games to one lead in the NBA Finals.

LeBron James converted this alley-oop pass from Matthew Dellavedova (far right) for a pivotal basket in the fourth quarter.

Despite Steph Curry's attempt to hold Matthew Dellavedova back, the Cavs guard kept driving toward the basket on this play and hit a circus shot off the glass and drew a foul.

Steph Curry found his shooting touch in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 points as the Warriors, who trailed by 20 in the third quarter, refused to go away. (Text credit: AP)