CLEVELAND: Fourteen thoughts for 14 3-pointers in Friday’s 124-118 win against the Boston Celtics…
1. First the good news: Coach Tyronn Lue expects Kyrie Irving to be fine. While Irving didn’t want to make any declarations about his availability for Saturday at Charlotte until he wakes up and sees how he feels Friday, Lue doesn’t expect him to miss any time.
2. Irving limped off the floor in the game’s final minute Thursday with cramping in his leg and calf. He called it a cramp in his hamstring and Lue made clear it wasn’t a hamstring strain, which obviously would be worse.
3. “Just tightened up, that’s all,” said Irving, who also banged knees with LeBron James in the first half. “My calf started getting tight and my hammy started to get tight. I felt better coming out (to start) the second half, then when I did that last layup in started to cramp up.”
4. Irving didn’t need any IV bags after the game and said he would soak in the cold tub when he got home.
5. Part of the reason for cramping could have been the fact he had to play nearly 42 minutes in a game the Cavs led by 18 entering the fourth. Similarly, James played 44 of the 48 minutes the night before he turned 32.
6. James was especially critical of his play to the point he graded himself an "F" for the game and addressed his play with his teammates. He had 23 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds – but also had eight turnovers and shot just 3-of-7 from the free-throw line.
7. “I think I was horrible tonight. In every facet of the game, I was just pretty bad and it’s unacceptable,” James said. “I was just not concentrating on the game so it’s not always about the statistics. It’s about how I go out and I approach the game. I was happy that I got two All-Stars alongside me and I was able to carry us to a win.”
8. James had a glaring mental gaffe in the game’s final minutes. After Jae Crowder knocked down a 3-pointer, James nonchalantly tapped the inbounds pass back to Kyrie Irving, but Avery Bradley stole it and turned it into an easy dunk to pull the Celtics within 113-110 with 3:18 remaining.
9. “I just didn’t see him,” James said. “Definitely got to pay attention to what’s going on in the flow of the game. I was just throwing it back in to Kyrie and he just jumped it so if I was paying attention to him, with Avery being the defensive-minded guy he is, I should have seen him. Big mistake.”
10. Maybe – although not likely – James was distraught over watching another birthday come and go. James turns 32 Friday in the midst of another marvelous season (Thursday’s result notwithstanding).
11. James Jones told me tonight James could be in the best shape of his life – and he understood that was quite a statement given James’ maniacal work ethic. But he is showing no signs of slowing down.
12. “It must be the wine drinking,” James joked. “Get better with age, I guess. I just feel great. I’ve told you guys, I feel great. I’ve conditioned myself and I’m having one of the best statistical seasons of my career so far and I just want to try to continue to keep it going.”
13. Richard Jefferson had his smile-and-wink technical from Christmas Day rescinded by the league. He was relieved because the league deducts the $2,000 fine for those technicals right out of player checks. Since he received a double-technical a few days prior, Jefferson was on pace to lose $6,000 from his check due to technicals. Now it is “only” $4,000.
14. The Cavs are taking Friday off. They’ll fly to Charlotte and play the Hornets the same time the Buckeyes are playing Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. Talk to you Saturday from Time Warner Cable Arena.