What's up with LeBron James?
You've probably heard that question, or some iteration thereof, more times than you'd care to count this season.
That James hasn't quite been the explosive force he was during his first go-around with the Cleveland Cavaliers, or during his four-year tenure with the Miami Heat, has been backed up by numbers and eye tests alike. And after all the (justifiable) offseason hullabaloo over his return home, the mood in Cleveland turned from celebratory to desperate in a hurry as the preseason title favorites scuffled to a 19-17 start.
Yes, the Cavs have played their last six without James (losing five), but it's not like they were setting the world on fire before he opted to shut it down for two weeks to rest his aching knees and back. Part of the issue, evidently, is that James hasn't felt right since his first chalk toss back at Quicken Loans Arena.
"I haven't felt great all year," he said Wednesday, according to Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick. "I've had spurts where one or two games I felt good, and after that, I was just pushing through it, just being the competitive guy I am and wanting to be out there for my teammates. I feel better right now than I (have) for the majority of the season."
On Thursday, ESPN's Brian Windhorst also reported that James spent time in Miami this past week, in part because warmer weather can help with back injuries. Windhorst writes that James has not been sitting on the Cavs' bench of late because "continuous sitting" is bad for the treatment, as anyone who's ever had a back problem can attest.
When he's played, James has rebounded at his lowest rate since his rookie season 11 years ago, scored at his lowest rate since 2006-07, and posted his lowest True Shooting percentage since 2007-08. He's dunking less than ever, and he's gone so far as to apologize for playing below the rim. His current hiatus is already the longest injury-related streak of his career.
He also just turned 30, and he's been playing pro basketball since he was 18. It will never cease to be jarring to watch a transcendent athlete go into decline, but we can at least step back and recognize that what's going on with James right now makes sense.
Though he's in unfamiliar territory, James himself seems to have come to grips with it, and is recognizing that his body is no longer capable of things it once was.
"I just finally listened to my body, ultimately," he said of his decision to take time off. "I was affecting my game. And once I see my game being affected by my stubbornness, I had to just look myself in the mirror and understand I had to do something that was best for me as well. It was one of the hardest, one of the smartest, decisions I've made."
James also hasn't been the only Cavalier dealing with injuries. Anderson Varejao has been lost for the season due to an Achilles tear, and both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have dealt with back issues.
"Until we get healthy, we won't know what we're capable of doing," James said. "I don't think we will ever be fully healthy, as far as being 100 percent, it's impossible. I can never get my motor back to 100. ... But once we see all our pieces on the floor, coach (David) Blatt and the coaching staff (can) do a great job of putting the guys together, seeing what lineups, what pieces work together well ... we'll see what we are capable of doing."
James is slated to return to the Cavaliers' lineup next week.
