Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
James takes night off
Cavs forward and point guard Irving shelved for rest
MIAMI — The Cleveland Cavaliers have greater concerns than LeBron James having moments in opposing colors at AmericanAirlines Arena. So for the second time since he left the Miami Heat as a free agent in the 2014 offseason, James on Saturday night was given the visit off for rest.
“He understands the big picture and what we’re trying to accomplish,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said of the first of the Cavaliers’ two visits of the season, with Cleveland also to visit the final week off the regular season. “The guy’s played so many minutes over the course of his career, and going to six straight Finals, he has to take some rest at times.”
The Cavaliers not only decided that the second night of the back-to-back set that started with Friday’s road victory over the Atlanta Hawks was the right time to rest James, 32, but also held out point guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving scored 43 points and played 36 minutes in the Cavaliers’ 135-130 Friday victory over the Hawks, with James scoring 38 points in 39 minutes.
James also did not play in the Cavaliers’ loss at AmericanAirlines Arena in December 2015 in what also was the second night of a back-to-back set for Cleveland, serenaded that night with chants of, “LeBron is tir-ed!”
Saturday was the fifth game James has missed this season, all for rest, although he also was dealing with an illness last Saturday when he sat out a nationally televised game against former Heat teammate Dwyane Wade and Chicago Bulls.
Cleveland entered Saturday’s game 4-19 over the past three seasons without James and 0-4 this season.
With Kevin Love and J.R. Smith already sidelined for the Cavaliers, it left Cleveland with only one of its primary starters in their opening lineup, center Tristan Thompson. He was flanked in Saturday night’s opening lineup by Iman Shumpert, Deron Williams, Kyle Korver and former Heat forward James Jones.
Cleveland’s depth was further compromised with rookie point guard Kay Felder on assignment to the team’s NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Canton Charge.
Lue said the decision with James was made immediately after the Friday victory at Philips Arena, in consultation with James’ personal trainer Mike Mancias, who served in a similar role with the Heat during James’ four seasons in South Florida.
“When I talk to Mike Mancias or our training staff and they see it’s a game he should take off, then that’s what we do,” Lue said. “He understands that. As much as he doesn’t like it. He has to deal with it.”
Lue offered no guaranteed that James would necessarily play at all this season at AmericanAirlines Arena.
“He’s going to have to take a couple more off before the end of the season comes up,” Lue said. “So we’ll see how his body feels, how many minutes he plays in the game before, before a back-to-back, and what makes sense to get LeBron his rest. Tonight was one of those games.”
James and Irving are both expected back when the teams meet in their next game, Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena. That also is when recently added center Andrew Bogut is expected to make his Cavaliers debut.
“I think we’ve got Tuesday and Wednesday to come in and try to get him up to speed as fast as we can. It’s going to be tough. But he’s a smart player,” Lue said of Bogut. “He’s been around for a while. So it’s not like there’s a lot different sets that are different from NBA sets, anyway. I’m pretty sure he’ll be able to pick it up pretty quick.”