National Basketball Association

Cavs may sit ailing LeBron for 2nd straight game

Published Mar. 8, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

LeBron James left Quicken Loans Arena with a custom-designed Snuggie draped over his shoulder. The Cavaliers are hoping he takes it home, throws it on and gets some rest.

James did not take part in the morning's shootaround and there's a strong possibility he will sit out Monday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Cleveland coach Mike Brown said James will be a game-time decision, but indicated he's leaning toward resting the league MVP.

"If he fights me hard enough, maybe I'll let him play," said Brown, who sat James on Saturday in Milwaukee. "But this is an opportune time for him to get some rest."

While his teammates shot around and went through offensive sets, James lifted weights, a sign he'll be in street clothes to watch the Spurs.

Asked how he was feeling, James, who rolled his ankle on Friday night against Detroit, said, "I'm good."

After facing San Antonio, the Cavaliers do not play again until Friday. Brown said in addition to a tender ankle, his All-Star forward has some soreness in his back. However, it's nothing he couldn't play through and Brown said if this were the playoffs, James would be on the floor.

But the postseason isn't here yet, and that's the point. Brown wants to take advantage of a break in the schedule to get James healthier.

"My gut feeling is that this is the right time for this to happen," Brown said. "He (James) wants to play. He doesn't like sitting."

Brown said it was his decision to have James take the night off against the Bucks, who beat the LeBron-less Cavaliers 92-85. The two will have a similar discussion before Monday's game, and Brown is trusting that James will do what's best for himself - and the Cavs.

"He bought into it a little bit," Brown said. "Hopefully, he will continue to buy into it."

Brown said Cleveland's postseason seeding is not a factor in any decisions he makes about James, who is averaging 39 minutes per game. The Cavs have a five-game lead over Orlando for the best record in the Eastern Conference, and they hold a three-game advantage over the Los Angeles Lakers for the league's best mark, which would guarantee Cleveland home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

"If I was concerned about that, then I would've said, 'Tape that bad boy up against Milwaukee,"' Brown said. "He could play if it was a playoff game. With all the bumps and bruises he does have and the minutes he's logged ... I know he wouldn't say this, but his body has to be feeling the effects from playing all those minutes."