Banged-up Cavs look to sweep, rest before Finals
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — LeBron James said there’s “no rest for the weary” after the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 114-111 overtime win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks. But there could be some rest for the beat-up Cavs if they sweep Atlanta in Game 4.
With a win Tuesday, the Cavs would have an eight-day break before the Finals are scheduled to begin June 4.
The rehabilitation period would be a welcome respite for several key members of the Cavs’ rotation.
James suffered leg cramps and played through a sore right knee, strained lower back and tender right ankle Sunday. He required a postgame IV in the locker room after logging 47 minutes.
“I got extensive treatment,” James said Monday. “I’m not going to elaborate on exactly what I got. Just right after the game, just started trying to prepare my body and get ready for Game 4.”
Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving, who has missed the past two games of the series because of tendinitis in his left knee, remains a game-time decision for Game 4.
Iman Shumpert also reported cramps in Game 3 and has been battling a strained groin since the second round.
Despite the Cavs’ 3-0 edge, coach David Blatt said he doesn’t want to automatically plan on resting Irving in the hopes that Cleveland can close the series out without him.
“We need Kyrie on the court, and we’re not really thinking about resting him as much as we’re thinking about him being healthy to play basketball,” Blatt said. “We need him on the court, whether we’re up 1-0 or 2-1 or 3-0. That doesn’t really mean anything because this is the conference finals. There’s not a lot of time, and there’s not a lot of room for error.
“At the same time, if we’re risking his long-term health, we’re not going to do that. So we are where we are.”
Where the Cavs want to be is in the Finals and healthy. Blatt got the team together for a “very light day” on Monday, but Irving used the time to undergo a rigorous on-court workout with player development coach Phil Handy.
“Still working through the protocol, and we’re looking for repeated good days so that we can comfortably — the medical staff can comfortably — put him back out on the court in a game situation,” Blatt said of Irving.
As for James, he said he feels better than he did in January when he, along with the team medical staff, decided to sideline him for two weeks to heal his back and left knee. But it means a lot of one-on-one time with Mike Mancias, his athletic trainer, this time of the year.
“It gets to a point where you get sick and tired of seeing Mike Mancias,” James said. “He’s almost moved in with me. We have a very tight bond at this point. So it’s OK.”
Blatt credited James with his attentiveness when it comes to maintaining his body.
“LeBron is a very, very professional guy,” Blatt said. “Not only has he studied the game, but he studies the ways that he can improve himself physically and care for himself physically. He’s surrounded by great people who help him.
“When you’re playing that many minutes at that level of intensity, you’re going to experience things of that nature. It’s not uncommon. He fought through it courageously [Sunday] and brilliantly, I might add. So we’ll be ready.”
James, one win from making it to his fifth straight NBA Finals, said exertion is to be expected this time of year.
“It’s the playoffs,” James said. “The playoffs should take a toll on your body where you feel exhausted at the end of it. That’s just how I play. That’s how I’ve learned, when you go and play in the postseason, you shouldn’t feel great playing a playoff game ever. A lot of intangibles going into how my body feels right now.”
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