LeBron James gave Kyrie Irving a very boisterous and animated pep talk

Is LeBron James trying to give Kyrie Irving a pep talk? Is he criticizing him for something? I have no idea whether this talk was supportive or angry, but it sure was animated. Whatever LeBron was saying, he was saying it with gusto.

It also appears Irving wasn’t having much of it, never making eye contact with James. But it should be noted he wasn’t the only one, as J.R. Smith barely blinked an eye despite James being right next to him. Maybe Irving was tuning James completely out, or maybe he was looking ahead to a coach.

No matter what the context being the conversation is, it’s easy to look at it as another sign the Cavs are fractured. There were rumors Irving wanted out of Cleveland. There were issues with the coaching staff. Even if this was LeBron simply trying to motivate a teammate, many will jump to conclusions and assume the worst. Until the Cavs win a championship, that just seems to be the situation they face every night.