Cavs ponder Rose’s absence
Guard has left team and may retire
CLEVELAND — LeBron James can empathize, but he can’t understand the decision Derrick Rose is contemplating.
James hasn’t seen his otherworldly skills diminish to the point that his status in the league is threatened. James also doesn’t believe in putting himself in another man’s shoes.
But with 2011 NBA MVP Rose — beaten down by a rash of injuries since he tore his left ACL in 2012 — taking a leave of absence from the Cavaliers to ponder his basketball future, Dwyane Wade has been in a similar place.
Wade, like Rose, has experienced knee issues for years, although it is a left ankle sprain that has limited Rose to seven of the Cavs’ 19 games.
Now 35, Wade said his crossroads came in the summer of 2014 after he and James made their fourth consecutive appearance in the Finals and lost to the San Antonio Spurs. James had announced he was returning to Cleveland. Wade was hurting physically.
“Obviously I can’t say I understand what he’s going through, but I understand what he’s going through,” Wade said Friday night after the Cavs’ 100-99 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at Quicken Loans Arena. “I definitely had a moment in my career where I was thinking about retiring. It’s hard when you’re dealing with injuries after injuries after injuries — it takes a toll on you mentally.
“This game brings so much joy to guys and it brings the opposite as well. It will take you to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. If you’re not mentally where you need to be, it affects you with your family, it affects you in your day to day. You’re just hurting. When you’re hurting, you’re frustrated and sometimes you think about walking away from the game. I was hurting every time I made a move. No one wants to live like that.”
Wade said he decided to change his diet and training regimen and “give it one more go.” He’s grateful he found a way to enjoy the game again.
Rose had made some of those same changes. He lost weight to take pressure off his bones and joints. He talked in training camp about learning from James’ regimen, which includes cryotherapy and yoga, to take care of his body.
A three-time All-Star for the Chicago Bulls before the injuries began, Rose has also suffered through two tears of his right meniscus (2013, 2015) and a torn left meniscus (2017), the latter costing him the final two weeks of last season wth the New York Knicks.
Seeking a place in the spotlight again, Rose signed a one-year, veterans minimum contract with the Cavs on July 25.
In Game 2 at Milwaukee, Rose hurt his ankle in a fall after a flagrant foul by the Bucks’ Greg Monroe and hasn’t been the same since.
Saturday’s games
76ERS 130, MAGIC 111: In Philadelphia, J.J. Redick hit eight 3-pointers and scored 29 points, and the 76ers cruised without the injured Ben Simmons. Elfrid Payton had 22 points for the Magic, who have lost eight straight.
TRAIL BLAZERS 108, WIZARDS 105: In Washington, C.J. McCollum scored 26 points, including seven straight during a 10-0 game-closing run, and Portland overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Washington.
RAPTORS 112, HAWKS 78: In Atlanta, Norman Powell scored 17 points, Jonas Valanciunas added 16 and Toronto dominated the game. Dennis Schroder scored 14 points for the Hawks.
WARRIORS 110, PELICANS 95: In Oakland, Calif., Stephen Curry bounced back after an 0-for10 start and scored 14 of his 27 points in the third quarter, Klay Thompson added 24 points and Golden State won its second in two nights without NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant (ankle).
SPURS 106, HORNETS 86: In Charlotte, N.C., Pau Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge each had 17 points and seven rebounds, and San Antonio held the Hornets to 37 percent shooting.
CELTICS 108, PACERS 98: In Indianapolis, Kyrie Irving scored 25 points and Al Horford added 21 to lead Boston, which outscored Indiana 37-16 in the third quarter to turn a ninepoint deficit into an 82-70 lead entering the final quarter.
ROCKETS 117, KNICKS 102 : In Houston,James Harden had 37 points and 10 assists as Houston erased New York’s early 22-point lead by making 18 3-pointers and getting 44 points from its bench.
MAVERICKS 97, THUNDER 81: In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 19 points and rookie Dennis Smith held his own against Russell Westbrook on Smith’s 20th birthday. Smith finished with 15 points and four assists. Westbrook had 28 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
CLIPPERS 97, KINGS 95: In Sacramento, Blake Griffin hit a 10-foot shot with 3 seconds left to lead LA past Sacramento.
JAZZ 121, BUCKS 108: In Salt Lake City, Donovan led Utah with 24 points in a victory over Milwaukee.