LeBron James Shut Off His Phone for the NBA Playoffs

Much as he did during last year’s run to the championship, LeBron James has shut himself off from much of the world outside the Miami Heat’s locker room. No phone and no Twitter for LBJ during the postseason. Per Fox Sports: “Sideline reporter Craig Sager interviewed James for NBA TV following Tuesday’s Game 2 against Milwaukee. He asked James about cutting off communication during the playoffs. ‘I can use yours?’ James asked Sager, who said he could borrow his phone. ‘So there it is, I’ll use yours. … I’m back before cell phones were invented.’ It’s the second straight year James has turned off his phone during the playoffs. It worked last season, as James won his first NBA title. James also vows to do like he did last year and give up Twitter. The last tweet he sent out was last Saturday, the day before Miami’s playoff opener, when he wrote, ‘Zero Dark Thirty-6 Activated! I’m gone.’ […] ‘Just read a little more than I did during the regular season,’ James, who had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists Tuesday in Miami’s 98-86 win, said about going into his playoff mode. ‘Not much sports talk radio. I watch the playoffs. I watch cartoons with my kids. I watch movies with the family but not much of what sports (broadcasters) are talking about.’ When James’ phone was shut off during the playoffs last spring, Keith Dambrot, once James’ coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, did have a method to get in touch with him to offer advice. Dambrot, now coach at the University of Akron, would send a text to Mike Mancias, James’ trainer, or to Randy Mims, his personal assistant. It was then shown to James, who requested any response to be sent.”