Tuesday, January 24, 2006
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
CLEVELAND -- LEBRON JAMES SKIPPED CAVALIERS PRACTICE MONDAY AND HAD A PRECAUTIONARY MRI AT THE CLEVELAND CLINIC TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO HIS RIGHT KNEE THAT HE BANGED LAST FRIDAY IN A LOSS AT GOLDEN STATE.
THE RESULTS CONFIRMED WHAT DOCTORS IN OAKLAND AND SALT LAKE CITY HAD DIAGNOSED -- IT IS SIMPLY A PAINFUL AND SLIGHTLY SWOLLEN BRUISE.
ANY FEARS THAT JAMES WAS MORE SERIOUSLY HURT, WHICH GREW SATURDAY MORNING WHEN HE AWOKE TO PAIN, TIGHTNESS AND LIMITED RANGE OF MOTION, WERE MOSTLY ALLAYED WHEN HE PUT UP 51 POINTS IN A VICTORY OVER THE UTAH JAZZ.
HE DID IT WEARING BLACK TIGHTS, A LOOK THAT MIGHT RETURN WHEN THE CAVS HOST THE INDIANA PACERS AT 7 TONIGHT.
IT IS THE FIRST HOME GAME IN NEARLY TWO WEEKS FOR THE CAVS AFTER A ROCKY 1-5 TRIP.
ENDURING THEIR TOUGHEST STRETCH IN THE SCHEDULE, THE CAVS HAVE LOST SIX OF OF THEIR PAST SEVEN GAMES. THEY'VE ALREADY PLAYED SEVEN ROAD GAMES THIS MONTH AND LEAVE ON ANOTHER TRIP TO ATLANTA AND INDIANAPOLIS AFTER TONIGHT'S GAME.
THEIR NEXT THREE HOME GAMES ARE AGAINST SOME OF THE NBA ELITE -- THE PACERS, PHOENIX SUNS AND NEW JERSEY NETS.
THE PACERS, HOWEVER, HAVEN'T EXACTLY BEEN LIVING UP TO THEIR POTENTIAL. THEY ARE 9-11 IN THE 20 GAMES SINCE STAR RON ARTEST WAS PUT ON THE INACTIVE LIST WHILE WAITING TO BE TRADED.
BEFORE MONDAY'S LOSS, THE PACERS WERE WITHIN A HALF-GAME OF THE CAVS FOR THE FOURTH SEED IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE.