Anyway, that’s about everything I can muster on a lackluster preseason game in which none of the Cavs’ top four players suited up.
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James played in the preseason game in Cincinnati, a 98-96 loss to the Hawks on Oct. 7, and the one in Columbus, a 91-81 loss to the Grizzlies on Oct. 12. He came in great shape. “In his storied career, he has amassed a lot of miles”.
Blatt was not concerned with the final score because the roster was so depleted and it was the Cavs’ third game in four nights.
Matthew Dellavedova had 13 points, Joe Harris and Dionte Christmas each finished with 10 points for the Cavaliers.
With the expectation that James will again have to carry a heavy burden early in the season until the Cavs are able to get healthy – Timofey Mozgov and Anderson Varejao are playing but still coming back from surgeries – the team is trying to take measures to prepare. “I certainly don’t expect him to play both games and I don’t know if he’ll play either one'”. J.R. Smith scored 10 points after missing three games with a strained hamstring….
Cleveland was also minus Kyrie Irving (knee), Kevin Love (shoulder), Iman Shumpert (wrist) and Tristan Thompson (holdout), all of whom have missed the entire exhibition season.
“We pushed the tempo”, Young said. Fellow forward James Jones cut Indiana’s advantage down to a point, 9-8, when he connected on a three-pointer with 9:11 left in the first quarter. Five and a half minutes into the game, Indiana pushed their lead into double digits, and Cleveland never got it back to within ten. Even on a bad day, the guy had 16 points and six rebounds in (26) minutes.
“One to two spots are potentially open”, Blatt said. “It was great to see him on the floor playing”. 290 for the preseason.
James has battled back issues off and on for the past decade and has had shots in his back in the past. “I know come October 28, he’s going to be ready”. Ian Mahinmi followed up with 16 points and newcomer Monta Ellis continued his mastery of the Cavs – netting 14 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Indiana would finish 33-of-43 from the line; Cleveland, 11-for-19. Cleveland also committed a whopping 23 turnovers that led to 31 Indiana points. Paul George, who’s making the move to power forward in the Pacers’ small lineup, led Indy with 17 points and eight boards.
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“I’m not having fun right now”, Blatt said.
