Nets-Cavs game turns into a royal affair

BROOKLYN (NBA) - Monday night was truly a royal occasion at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Of course the King, LeBron James, was there, but much to wonderment of the fans, some special guests from across the Atlantic showed up to take in the action as well.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, arrived for the second half of Monday's contest between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers and took in the game while sitting courtside next to basketball great Dikembe Mutombo.

Their arrival was a turning point in the contest.

It coincided with a 24-6 run by the Cavaliers that put them on the way to their seventh consecutive victory, a 110-88 triumph.

The fans were enthralled with the action but equally mesmerized by the presence of the royals from the United Kingdom.

An even bigger buzz was created when, during the break between the third and fourth quarters, William and Kate met with the royal couple of music, Beyonce and her husband Jay Z, on the hardwood.

The exchange of pleasantries was shown on the large screen above the court.

After the contest, James, who made a famous visit to London in 2012 and helped the USA capture the Olympic gold medal for the second time in a row, proved to be a good ambassador for the Cavaliers and the league.

He presented William and Kate with two of his team's jerseys, one of which was for Prince George.

Asked about the decisive run which coincided with the arrival of William and Kate, he smiled and said: "Well, we got to bring them to every game, then."

FIBA