Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers are apologizing for running a terrible domestic violence video inside of their arena Wednesday night ... saying it was intended to be hilarious ... and backfired.

The Cavs issued a statement saying, "During a timeout at last night’s Cavaliers vs. Bulls playoff game at The Q in Cleveland, we ran a 1-minute in-arena video that was intended to be a humorous spoof on a popular commercial centered on a song and dance from the classic movie ‘Dirty Dancing.’ While the video was not intended to be offensive, it was a mistake to include content that made light of domestic violence."

"Domestic violence is a very serious matter and has no place in a parody video that plays in an entertainment venue. We sincerely apologize to those who have been affected by domestic violence for the obvious negative feelings caused by being exposed to this insensitive video."

In one of the dumbest marketing moves of ALL TIME, the Cleveland Cavaliers ran an in-arena video during Wednesday night's game ... showing a male Cavs fan SLAMMING his GF because she's a Bulls fan.

Seriously.

It gets worse ... the man justifies the beating by saying, "Bulls fan? I didn't know you were a Bulls fan!"

At the end of the video, the woman resurfaces with an ice pack on her head ... and wearing a Cleveland shirt.

No word why anyone in the organization would green light this ... but you can only assume someone's gonna get fired.

MTV star Charlamagne Tha God has a message for Cavs star Iman Shumpert ... back away from the mic slowly ... telling TMZ Sports he's heard Shumpert's new rap song, and it's totally garbage.

You might remember ... the last time Iman stepped in the studio it was to record a diss track aimed at the radio host, who Shumpert labeled as a hater for blasting his rap skills on "The Breakfast Club."

Shumpert's latest track -- a motivational song dedicated to the Cavaliers' playoff run called "The Offs" -- dropped yesterday and Charlamagne says although Shumpert's changed teams, his rap skills haven't changed at all.

"It's garbage. He needs to focus on his defense and not his rapping."

It gets worse ... Charlamagne says he questions Shumpert's focus -- and wants to know why he's making terrible rap songs when Cleveland is still 10 wins away from a championship.

"LeBron doesn't even tweet in the playoffs, and he's making rap songs!? The best motivation he could provide for his team is getting in the gym."

Ouch.

Cleveland Cavs star Kyrie Irving wants to get into your pants ... as the latest NBA star to launch his own mens underwear line ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told Irving has struck a deal with the PSD underwear brand -- which already has endorsement deals in place with NFL stars like Marshawn Lynch and Stevie Johnson.

According to PSD, Irving will "work directly with PSD’s designers developing his own underwear line, becoming the face of PSD for the foreseeable future."

Irving is hoping to launch his undie line later this year.

Underwear is the hot trend with jocks lately -- with everyone from Cristiano Ronaldo to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook getting in the game.

Cleveland Cavs star Iman Shumpert experienced the perks of having a hot R&B star girlfriend ... when she brought him onstage for an erotic lap dance during a NYC concert ... and we've got the video.

Shumpert was hanging out on the stage at SOB's Thursday night ... while Teyana Taylor rocked out in an extremely revealing outfit.

As the beat started to slow down, things started to heat up ... with Teyana climbing on top of her man and riding him like a 6'5" rodeo horse.

NBA star Iman Shumpert tells TMZ Sports ... he does NOT hate the show "Empire" -- and does not believe producers ripped off his life for a story line ... despite reports to the contrary.

Earlier today, it was reported that Shumpert was calling out "Empire" -- claiming two of the characters were direct rip-offs of himself and his GF girlfriend Teyana Taylor ... and even sported similar hairstyles.

But Shumpert says the whole thing has been blown out of proportion ... saying, "The 'Empire' story pertaining to myself and my girlfriend Teyana has gotten out of hand."

"Fans of the show and friends have told us on many occasions that couple favors us but we do not at all feel that our lives are being copied/stolen."

Shumpert continues, "I apologize to the actors on the show because they're just being professionals and don't deserve slander that's not what I was trying to portray and I have to be more careful with my choice of words."

"I do not appreciate the writer using his questions with my answers to draw quotes like I was making these elaborate answers but that's the media. The writer took a 2-3 min convo of locker room talk after a GREAT TEAM WIN and made it look like a sit down interview and it wasn't."

Tatyana Ali says she was "touched" to see the famous "Daddy" episode of "Fresh Prince" struck such a chord with LeBron James ... and says she knew it was a special moment when they were filming the show.

Ali -- aka Ashley Banks -- was on "TMZ Hollywood Sports" on Reelz and said she was always proud of the show for dealing with tough social issues ... including absentee fathers.

Earlier in the day, LeBron had posted about the show ... saying he stumbled upon the episode on TV and it still makes him cry because it hits home.

FYI -- LeBron was raised by a single mom and never really knew his dad.

Iman Shumpert's idea of the perfect date ... fermented grapes and nail polish ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the Cavs star took his GF -- rapper Teyana Taylor -- for pedicures and red wine!

The couple hit up Anthony Vince Salon Thursday night -- a high-end shop in a Cleveland suburb -- and they went all out ... sipping vino while getting pampered.

Our sources tell us Iman and Teyana got the "Spa Pedicure" ... complete with trimming, shaping, buffing, grooming, massaging ... with a hot towel wrap and choice of polish ... all for $32.

Sources inside say Iman was in such a good mood, he was singing out loud with the music on the speakers ... and at one point he was rocking out to JLo's "I'm Real."

The royal cranium has been pampered, Your Highness.

LeBron James has landed in L.A. to take on the Lakers Thursday night -- but before the game, The King found a few minutes for some "me time" in Beverly Hills.

James and his posse stopped in to Bella Nails -- where a team of beauticians rubbed down his head and gargantuan feet.

LeBron LOOOVVEESS this particular nail salon -- and brought a bunch of his old teammates with him last year back when he was with the Miami Heat.

Seems Rick Ross is officially off the hook in his $100k NBA bet with Jalen Rose -- with Jalen telling TMZ Sports he's willing to let the whole thing go for some delicious lobster.

You know the bet ... Ross wanted to put up $100k that his LeBron-less Miami Heat would finish the
season with a better record than Bron's new team, the Cleveland Cavs.

Jalen publicly accepted the bet -- going on his Grantland podcast and saying, "You know I'm good for the money, homie."

But according to Jalen, Rick had a change of heart around Xmas time ... with Rose implying that Ross was less-than-impressed with the Heat ... even though they beat the Cavs on Xmas day.

So what happens now? "I think he's gonna take me to get lobster tempura at Prime One Twelve," Jalen says.

FYI -- Lobster Tempura cost around $25 (we called).

Here's the thing ... the Cavs are 19-19. The Heat are 16-21 ... the bet could still go either way.

We'll follow up with Ross and let you know his side.

LeBron James' kid is gooooood.

10-year-old LeBron James Jr. -- aka Bronny -- made some INSANE highlight reel shots at the 2014 Ronald Searles Holiday Classic in Houston.

Bronny is one of the top ranked 4th graders in the country (yes, they rank 4th graders) ... and it's obvious why -- the kid can shoot, dribble and pass like ... well, like his dad.

Lebron James has a message for guys like Richard Sherman and Colin Kaepernick ... when it comes to the post-game music jam, big is out ... small is in.

James was rockin' his new Beats by Dre "Powerbeats" headphones after the Cavs beat up on the Knicks in NYC last night.

They're tiny. They're wireless ... and it's a huge fashion change from the classic Beats by Dre headphones which are intentionally bulky and have become a fashion staple for tons of athletes.

James is a trendsetter -- so if he goes small ... does it mean the reign of the bulky headphones are over?

Remember when NY Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said the coolest moment in his life was when his hero LeBron James tweeted about his legendary 1-handed catch???

Well, last night ... OBJ got a new "coolest moment" in life -- when he met LeBron in person and they took a picture together!

As we previously reported, Beckham Jr. had called James his "favorite athlete" and talked about how much it meant when LeBron gave him props for that sick grab against the Cowboys.

The two finally met in person at dinner Wednesday night -- and you can by the look on Odell's face ... dude was stoked!!

In fact, James even posted about it ... writing, "Giving the game to my young king @iam_objxiii tonight at dinner! Keep going homie and #StriveForGreatness #RWTW."

Pretty cool, right?

LeBron James is finally wrecking something other than opposing defenses -- he's getting hands on to tear down and renovate a house in his hometown ... and it's all for his charity.

King James hooked up with Nicole Curtis, who hosts HGTV’s "Rehab Addict" ... and completely overhauled the home of a family in Akron, Ohio.

LeBron brought along his two sons and they didn't just watch ... they put in some work. 'Bron helped tear apart kitchen fixtures and even took a sledgehammer to a wall.

LeBron James is 29. The guy dating his mother is 32 ... and apparently, the NBA star is totally cool with it.

In fact, LeBron posed for a pic with his mom's BF -- a rapper known as Da Real Lambo -- after the Cavs beat the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

Lambo has reportedly been dating Gloria James for about a year ... and he's already referring to her as his "wifey" on Instagram.

Clearly, Lambo loves the lifestyle ... posting pics in private jets, boats and expensive-looking resorts ... but it appears LeBron doesn't have a problem with it.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be PROUD of LeBron James ... so says Jesse Jackson who tells TMZ Sports LeBron's work off the court makes him "great."

Rev. Jackson was leaving Boa Steakhouse on the Sunset Strip this weekend when we asked about a recent interview Jackson gave to the Northeast Ohio Media Group ... in which he praised LeBron for all he's done for the city of Cleveland

"His work in the community beyond the court makes him very great," Jackson said ... "Dr. King would be proud of that."

Jackson notes that LeBron has helped to lift up the housing projects ... he built a playground for the kids ... and made the poor feel better about themselves.