CLEVELAND (AP) β LeBron James will sit out Cleveland’s final preseason game against Dallas on Monday night, but Cavaliers coach David Blatt said the four-time MVP will be ready when the regular season opens next week.
James, who had an anti-inflammatory injection in his back last week, hasn’t played since Oct. 12.
Asked before Cleveland’s preseason finale against Mavericks if there was any chance James wouldn’t be ready when the Cavaliers visit Chicago on Oct. 27, Blatt said, “he will absolutely be ready for the season opener.”
James missed a career-high 13 games last season with back and knee issues.
Cleveland has gone 0-6 while dealing with several injuries during the preseason. Kyrie Irving fractured his left kneecap in Game 1 of last season’s NBA Finals and Kevin Love played for the first time Sunday after dislocating his left shoulder in the opening round of the playoffs.
