The next morning, as expected, the game once again became the focus of attention all over the United States.
Barkley expressed his disappointment in LeBron James's actions, "I never thought he would do something like that on the court, don't tell me it was unintentional. He's not a child anymore, even though more and more media are calling him a high school student. He should have known what could happen to the little O'Neal flying through the air after a push like that. Even in the '90s, that would have been an action not allowed by the referee."
The New York Times mocked LeBron James's exit from the game, "The 'Chosen One' who claimed he wouldn't be easily injured, chose to leave the game for the sake of Cleveland and the entire team. How noble of him!"
