The heat turned up on Miami Heat star LeBron James Thursday night, but he's not getting any sympathy from NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn.
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Thorn, who played with four different teams over nine seasons, couldn't relate to James after the Heat superstar left the Heat's 110-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals in the fourth quarter due to severe cramping in his leg.
An electrical problem at the AT&T Center in San Antonio caused the air conditioning to malfunction, leading to James leaving the game due to cramps. Afterward, Thorn spoke candidly about how the conditions were the same for both sides.
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"Things happen in live sporting events, sometimes things happen," Thorn told ESPN. "In this case the air conditioner went out. It was the same for both teams. Both teams are playing under the same conditions."
James, who notched 25 points in the game before exiting five minutes into the fourth quarter, said he was "frustrated" after the game, but Thorn said players have had to play in the conditions before.
"LeBron had to leave the game in the fourth quarter with the game still in the balance," Thorn said via ESPN. "He's such a great player that obviously when a player of that ilk leaves the game, it certainly affects the game. But again, both teams were playing under the same conditions. There was nothing wrong with the floor. We've played in these conditions before."
Thorn said that there wouldn't be a problem going forward and that Game 2 on Sunday will be fine after temperatures got up to 90 degrees Thursday night. Thorn said there was no stoppage of the game because there were no complaints from either side.
"It's unfortunate, obviously, that it happened," Thorn said per ESPN. "But the court was safe, and therefore we continued the game."
James explained his leaving in the fourth quarter following the loss for the Spurs.
"It was the whole left leg, damn near the whole left side," James said, according to ESPN. "I was losing a lot [of fluids] throughout the game. It was extremely hot in the building, you know, both teams, fans, everybody could feel it. I was the one that had to take the shot."
The Heat lost Game 1 of its 2013 Finals series with the Spurs, but was able to dig its way out of three separate series deficits en route to its second straight NBA title. To three-peat, Miami will have to come back from a 1-0 deficit again, if the conditions allow for it.
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