After missing the first three games of the 2017 NBA Preseason campaign due to a turned ankle, LeBron James will return to play on Tuesday night, when the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Chicago Bulls inside Quicken Loans Arena at 8:00 p.m.
James, now entering his 15th season in the association, suffered the injury during a team practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts, just prior to the start of the preseason.
After Monday’s practice, James spoke to several members of the media with regards to his status, as well as the severity of his injury. The King says he has been working around the clock in recovery.
“I’ve not been resting,” James said of his recovery. “I’ve been (rehabbing) around the clock, all the time, every day, since I hurt (my ankle) the first Wednesday of training camp. I’ve been trying to work my way back in. You always hope that it won’t be a lingering thing, so you gotta keep doing what I’ve been doing and it’ll come back.”
With James ready for action, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters that he plans to run most of his starting rotation against the Bulls (in limited minutes), including James. Coach Lue also added that Dwyane Wade will be the team’s starting shooting guard to begin the regular season.
The fact that James is ready to return to play for the Cavs is great news. As most hoops fans know, he has played a crucial role in Cleveland’s recent success. In his 74 games played last season, the former No. 1 overall selection in the 2003 Draft turned in some of the best statistical numbers of his career, averaging 26.4 points on 55 percent shooting from the field, 8.7 assists (career-high), 8.6 rebounds (career-high), and 1.2 steals in 37.8 minutes per contest.
Tuesday’s preseason matchup marks the first instance of James and Wade taking the floor as Cavaliers teammates in an actual game setting. With any luck, they’ll be tossing lobs to one another, just as they did in the past.