Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has admitted that he and his teammates were given constructive criticism from head coach David Blatt following their opening-game defeat.

The four-time MVP scored just 17 points for the Cavs as they fell to a 95-90 loss at the hands of the New York Knicks which prompted Blatt to deliver some home truths in their post-game meeting.

Cleveland responded to the comments from their head coach to beat the Chicago Bulls 114-108 in their second match of the season with an overtime win.

"He just got on us," James told ESPN. "He got on us from the time we started our meeting to the time we left.

"And it's great. For a team like us, we need that. I love constructive criticism. I never took it personal. It's just an opportunity for us to get better, and it definitely put a fire into us."

James re-signed for the Cavaliers in the off-season after spending four years with the Miami Heat, where he won the NBA title twice.