Tonight (Tuesday), the Cleveland Cavaliers will welcome the Chicago bulls to town for what will be the first of four meetings between the two Central Division teams this season.
According to a report from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Cavs sharpshooter J.R. Smith, who was recently promoted to the starting lineup, is questionable for tonight’s game due to a sore back. “Swish,” as he has came to be known, did not participate in Tuesday morning’s practice. However, the New Jersey native says he is hoping his back will loosen up a bit before tip-off.
There is no doubt that Smith, now 32 years of age, is (and has been) an extremely important piece in the Cavs’ metaphorical puzzle. In his three games played off the bench this season, the former No. 18 overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft (New Orleans Hornets) has tallied averages of 6.3 points on 33 percent shooting from the field, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 22.0 minutes per contest.
Now that he’s been promoted to the starting five, there is no doubt that Smith will be looking to make an impact. Opposing teams simply know they can’t leave J.R. open on the perimeter, lest they pay the price in gooseneck three-balls. He’s not just a one-trick pony, though, as they say. While it’s true that he can get red-hot from outside at times, Smith is also a solid defender.
Tonight’s game is slated for a 7:00 p.m. EST tip inside Quicken Loans Arena, with NBA TV and Fox Sports Ohio having live broadcast coverage. Be sure to keep your browsers locked on Cavs Nation for more updates on Smith’s status as they become available.
