LeBron's full focus on title

Published Apr. 24, 2013 1:46 a.m. ET

foxsports

MIAMI — LeBron James is in full playoff mode. Well, maybe.

The Miami Heat star said he has given up his cell phone to concentrate on the playoffs. But such a task can be tough in this era.

Sideline reporter Craig Sager interviewed James for NBA TV following Tuesday’s Game 2 against Milwaukee. He asked James about cutting off communication during the playoffs.

“I can use yours?’’ James asked Sager, who said he could borrow his phone. “So there it is, I’ll use yours. ... I’m back before cell phones were invented.’’

It’s the second straight year James has turned off his phone during the playoffs. It worked last season, as James won his first NBA title.

James also vows to do like he did last year and give up Twitter. The last tweet he sent out was last Saturday, the day before Miami’s playoff opener, when he wrote, “Zero Dark Thirty-6 Activated! I'm gone.’’

Barring a major upset, don’t expect James to be back on Twitter until after the NBA Finals end in June.

During last year’s playoffs, James often was spotted reading books in the locker room. He expects that to continue this postseason.

“Just read a little more than I did during the regular season,’’ James, who had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists Tuesday in Miami’s 98-86 win, said about going into his playoff mode. “Not much sports talk radio. I watch the playoffs. I watch cartoons with my kids. I watch movies with the family but not much of what sports (broadcasters) are talking about.’’

When James’ phone was shut off during the playoffs last spring, Keith Dambrot, once James’ coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, did have a method to get in touch with him to offer advice. Dambrot, now coach at the University of Akron, would send a text to Mike Mancias, James' trainer, or to Randy Mims, his personal assistant. It was then shown to James, who requested any response to be sent.

Before Tuesday’s game, James told reporters he was pleased to see his former coach in Cleveland, Mike Brown, get rehired by the Cavaliers. James was then asked if he planned to text congratulations to Brown.

“I don’t have a phone right now,’’ James said.

One assumes James could have borrowed Sager’s to reach out to Brown.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at christomasson@hotmail.com or on Twitter @christomasson.