Heading into this season, the thought was that LeBron James would see his minutes per game reduced, thanks to having Kevin Love (and eventually, Kyrie Irving) back healthy and able to carry more of the load for the Cavaliers.
So far, things haven't worked out as planned.
James is actually averaging more minutes per game than he did last year, and Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com notes that he is no longer interested in seeing that number reduced.
It's a very fine line, obviously. The Cavs have struggled in the early part of the season (at least by their standards), and James has had to do more to ensure that the victories were secured. But he needs to be fresh for a run through the postseason, too, although it doesn't seem as though he's planning on taking it easy anytime soon.
"I'm not a 31-, 32-minute guy. That's just not, that ain't me," James said after practice on Thursday.
"I'm playing at a high level," James said. "I'm shooting the ball extremely well and I'm not hurting my team when I'm on the floor. If I'm hurting my team, then I should be sitting down. But I feel good.
"I'm always kind of like in the middle," he continued. I'm not a guy who likes to sit. If we take care of business and we go out and we're able to beat up on a team and I can sit in the fourth, then I can. If not, then I need to play. If I'm in the lineup then I need to be out on the floor. And I'm not saying I have to be out there 48 minutes or 40 minutes. But I'm going to make an impact."
