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Did Jay-Z's presence have something to do with LeBron James going for 50 and 10 last night? (If so, the thought should send chills through the spines of Cavs fans.) I'm enough of a conspiracy theorist/armchair psychologist to think it did, though I'll admit the fact that he was facing the Knicks was probably more significant. Let's not forget, though, he has a history of stepping up his game following courtside chats with fans.

As it happens, Jay-Z wasn't the only fan who got up close and personal with LBJ last night -- FanIQ has the video, and Newsday the description:

Coach Mike Brown pulled James with 23 seconds left, and during the timeout a fan in a James jersey sprinted onto the court and met James in the huddle. As security mobbed the fan, James reached out and shook his hand as the fan said, "You're my favorite player. I just wanted to meet you!" James said he appreciated the fan's gesture (even saying "I respect him") and that he wasn't concerned with his safety. "I'm 6-9, 260," he said. "I'm all right." The fan was arrested.

He was given a standing ovation from the Knicks crowd but abruptly shot down any suggestion he might want to play at the Garden full-time:

"No," he said, then scolded the questioner. "That might have been worse than the fan running out on the court."

Video from Odenized, of course