[mks_dropcap style=”rounded” size=”26″ bg_color=”#dd3333″ txt_color=”#ffffff”]E[/mks_dropcap]ven LeBron James, the world’s greatest basketball player, needs a few well-deserved days off.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar will “sit a couple games” before the postseason, though he hasn’t decided which ones.
And to be honest, at this point, it makes no sense for James to waste energy in a few near-completely meaningless games. Cleveland will challenge the Milwaukee Bucks, followed by a back-to-back with the Boston Celtics, then wrap up the 2014-15 campaign against the Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards.
Barring a five-game losing streak, however, the second-seeded Cavaliers cannot move down in the standings, considering the Chicago Bulls trail by four games. Plus, the Atlanta Hawks have already clinched the top position in the Eastern Conference, so Cleveland can’t move up, either.
.@KingJames says banners are banners and never takes it for granted…Cavs 4th overall and his 7th in a row, 1 win/Chi loss wraps up Central
— Fred McLeod (@CavsFredMcLeod) April 7, 2015
James, a four-time league MVP, has carried David Blatt’s crew throughout the season, racking up 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and six assists per game alongside Kyrie Irving and a misfit in Kevin Love.
LeBron has helped the Cavs rebound from a 19-20 record midway through the season to their current 50-27 mark. Since Jan. 13, no team has posted a better mark than Cleveland’s 31-7.
[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#eeee22″ txt_color=”#000000″]Since Jan. 13, no team has posted a better mark than Cleveland’s 31-7.[/mks_pullquote]What’s more, the only teams recently hotter than the Cavaliers are the Golden State Warriors and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, who toppled James and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals last year.
A couple games off will presumably help him prepare physically for potential clashes with the conference-leading Hawks and the Warriors or a rematch with a franchise (San Antonio) that’s twice beaten James in the title round.
He deserves the rest, and it won’t hurt Cleveland. So for the next week, one of the most important things for James to consider is which tie matches his suit.
Photo: USA Today Images