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Referee Kane Fitzgerald Says LeBron James Threw Air Punch, Used Vulgarity

Related Topics: Kane Fitzgerald, LeBron James

Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' 108-97 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, referee Kane Fitzgerald explained his decision to eject LeBron James in the third quarter.

Fitzgerald tossed James with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter after LeBron argued that he had been fouled on a layup attempt by Heat forward James Johnson.

According to ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin, Fitzgerald felt as though James had become too aggressive toward him: "It was a culmination of a couple [of] different acts. Immediately after the no-call, he turned and threw an air punch directly at me, and then he aggressively charged at me, and then he used vulgarity in my ear a few times.