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LeBron James breaks self-imposed cellphone ban to call Chris Paul

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James celebrates during a win over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals last month.

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James celebrates during a win over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals last month.

(CJ Gunther / EPA)
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In order to stay focused during the playoffs, LeBron James has imposed a social media ban on himself during the Cleveland Cavaliers playoff run, one that includes not using his cellphones.

After the Clippers’ Chris Paul made the game-winning shot over the Spurs in Game 7 on Saturday, James decided to bend his rule a bit.

“I called him from my wife’s phone,” James told reporters. “He answered the phone, he was like, ‘What’s up?’ I told him don’t say nothing, you’re not allowed to reply, don’t say anything. I told him how amazing he was and how great he was. And I hung up on him. I haven’t spoken to him since. It’s the truth. “

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The winning shot happened with the game tied at 109-109 and only one second left on the clock, when Paul made a bank shot over Tim Duncan to advance the Clippers to the second round of the playoffs.

What made Paul’s feat even more impressive was that he was playing on a strained left hamstring, which he sustained in the first quarter of Game 7. Paul then went to the locker room, returned midway through the second quarter and went on to score 27 points, including making five of his six three-point attempts.

The Clippers open their second-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Monday at 6:30 p.m. PDT.

Paul is listed as a game-time decision because of the injury.

Twitter: @melissarohlin

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