The Cleveland Cavaliers are very likely to rest LeBron James this month with 13 games left, eight coming on the road and the other five at home. With five sets of back-to-backs (although the last back-to-back is March 31 and April 1) and Toronto just two games behind the Cavs for first place in the Eastern Conference, Cleveland could be in store for a tough month if they can’t get things done on the road.
According to LeBron James and Tyronn Lue, the Cavs have planned out some periodic rests for the star forward, as well as some rest periods for Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and J.R. Smith. With that being said, let’s take a look at the Cavs schedule for March and try to determine when LeBron will be sitting out games.
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With the game against the Kings and Lakers coming up first, LeBron likely won’t sit out either of those with the Lakers game being nationally televised and the team having two days off before facing off against the Clippers on Sunday.
The Clippers and Jazz back-to-back set on Sunday and Monday may be tricky, because the Cavs will likely want to put on a show against LeBron James’ best friend Chris Paul on ABC, but they could also want to try and end their streak of misfortune in Utah against the Jazz on ESPN. If they had to choose, James will likely sit out Monday’s Jazz game, however, as the Cavs will then go back home to face the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
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After Dallas, Cleveland hits the road again for a back-to-back in Florida against the Magic and Heat on Friday and Saturday. James could end up sitting during the Heat game for a second time this season, possibly to preserve some energy and to not allow the Heat to try and figure out how to play the Cavs with James on the floor.
Following the Florida double-header, the Cavs go back home for a pair of home games, the first against Denver on Monday and the second game acting as the first night of a back-to-back home against Milwaukee on Wednesday and then at Brooklyn on Thursday. With both teams essentially out of the playoff picture, James could sit either of those games (although we’d like to believe he’s unlikely to sit out at home). Following the Nets is a matchup against Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks, which James will very likely play in.
After that, the Cavs get a pair of days off before facing the Rockets back at home and then a back to back against at home against Brooklyn and then on the road against Atlanta (April 1st).
In total, if LeBron James and coach Ty Lue follow on their plans to rest James, the star forward would likely rest against Utah, against Miami, and then again versus either the Bucks or the Nets.