Next Tuesday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers will tip-off the NBA season against the Chicago Bulls. It’s a marquee opening night matchup that will be missing some names that would normally get top billing — Kyrie Irving is out for sure (knee), and Derrick Rose’s status is uncertain (orbital bone fracture).
But the biggest name will play — LeBron James.
That according to Cavaliers coach David Blatt, as reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
James has played in only two of the Cavaliers seven preseason games, is shut down until the season starts, and reportedly had an anti-inflammatory shot in his back that was part of what sidelined him for a couple of weeks last season.
This shouldn’t be a shock, did anyone think he would miss opening night? He wants to set a tone. LeBron is on a mission this year — the staff here at PBT has him as the man to beat for the MVP — and while he’s going to get some rest here and there during the season he is going to push himself and this team. He knows how short these championship windows can be, and he looks at last season as a lost opportunity. He knows he’ll get only so many more of those.