CLEVELAND (AP)- Nakatayo si LeBron James sa locker room na suot ang shower sandals kaysa ang sneakers kung saan ay naghahanda ang Cavaliers na muling maglaro na wala siya.

Ang tanging sakit na nararamdaman niya sa nakalipas na araw ay ang ‘di niya paglalaro sa korte.

Isang linggo nang sumailalim sa pagsusuri sanhi ng strained back at knee, sinabi ng four-time NBA MVP na maayos nang gumagana ang kanyang katawan sa kasalukuyan at ang rehab ang magpapatunay na makababalik na siya anumang oras sa korte.

Nabatid kay James na sadyang ikinabahala niya ang injuries sa kabuuan ng kanyang unang season sa kanyang pagbabalik sa Cleveland at ‘di kalaunan ay nagdesisyon na siyang magpahinga.

National

PBBM sa Undas: ‘Let this day of memorial rekindle us to be better Filipinos’

‘’I haven’t felt great all year,’’ nanlulumong sinabi nito. ‘’I’ve had spurts where one or two games I felt good and after that I was just pushing through it. I’ve been a competitive guy and want to be out there for my teammates. I feel better right now than I’ve felt for the majority of the season.’’

Sinabi ni James na napakahirap na lumayo at ‘di makapaglaro, subalit wala na siyang magagawa pa.

‘’I finally just listened to my body ultimately,’’ pahayag nito. ‘’It was affecting my game. Once I started seeing my game being affected by my stubbornness, then I looked myself in the mirror and understand I have to do what’s best for me. It was one of the hardest but smartest decisions I’ve made.’’

Hangad ni James na magbiyahe kasama ang Cavaliers sa kanilang susunod na five-game West Coast trip. Inaasahang magtutungo sila sa Enero 15 at umaasa si James na nasa magandang kondisyon na siya.

‘’It helps that we’re going to some warmer cities so my body could use that as well,’’ nakangiting sinabi nito.

Nararamdaman ni James na ang kanyang tuhod at back injuries ay may kaugnayan.

‘’It’s all a correlation,’’ giit nito. ‘’I think it all works together for some odd reason. I just think my back and my knee was all working together and my back is feeling a little better, my knee is feeling a little better. I think we’re on pace to get back as close to 100 percent as possible. So, I’m excited about what this next week brings.’’

Habang wala si James, hinatak ng Cavs ang dalawang major trades. Kinuha ng koponan sina guards J.R. Smith at Iman Shumpert mula sa New York Knicks noong Martes bilang bahagi ng three-team deal na nagdala kay guard Dion Waiters sa Oklahoma City. Kahapon, nakipagsundo ang Cavs sa dalawang first-round picks sa Denver para sa center na si Timofey Mozgov, nagbigay sa Cleveland ng rim-protecting big man na kanilang kinakailangan sa kabuuan ng season na siyang pupuno sa pagkawala ni Anderson Varejao na mayroong Achilles injury.

Ipinagpaumanhin naman ni James ang pagkawala ni Waiters, ngunit naiintindihan nito na ang negosyo sa NBA ay pwedeng maging brutal.

‘’The additions that we had the last couple days I think are going to benefit us a lot,’’ ayon kay James. ‘’I think J.R. is a guy who spaces the floor for us, who can create his own shot and a very athletic guy who I think he has 51 playoff games, so that definitely helps us in experience.”

‘’Shump is a young guy who I believe can conform himself into what (Chicago’s) Jimmy Butler was a few years ago, just a guy who can go out there and you put him on the best offensive player and he’s going to try to contain him the best way he can.’’

Hindi kailanman umasa ang Cavs sa anumang ekspektasyon, ngunit sinabi ni James na ang re-shaped roster ay ‘di nangangahulugan na ang koponan ay re-setting sa season na ito.

‘’No, we don’t start from square one,’’ paliwanag ni James. ‘’The guys coming now will just have to learn on the fly. The good thing is we’re bringing in some guys who have played some basketball. I know Mozgov played for coach Blatt on the (Russian) national team. That helps with his relationship with Coach. J.R. has probably seen every system even though coach Blatt has brought a different system from overseas, he’ll get adjusted pretty fast and I’m sure Shumpert will as well.”