The Cleveland Cavaliers are proceeding cautiously with star LeBron James after he received an anti-inflammatory injection in his back last week.
The 30-year-old James has not participated in a full practice since the shot on Oct. 13. The Cavaliers open the regular season on Tuesday against the Bulls in Chicago.
“He’s fine and he’s gonna be fine, but we’re just going slowly and carefully with him,” Cavs coach David Blatt said Thursday. “He’ll be out there very soon.”
The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player has been restricted to shooting and individual work the past two days as part of a planned rest break that should allow him to be ready for the opener. The Cavs contend that the injection was preventive treatment and not because James was hurt.
During the preseason, James played in only two games. After Thursday’s practice, though, he was spotted outside the team’s practice facility throwing and catching footballs with teammates.
James, who is entering his 13th NBA season, has not spoken with reporters since before the injection. Last season, he missed 13 games to rest his back and a strained knee.
“LeBron is constantly working and he’s a guy who takes care of himself 24 hours a day,” Blatt said. “I don’t have to tell anybody here what a fabulous athlete he is. He also takes care of himself, so he will be fine.”
The Cavs are also practicing without All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who is still recovering after breaking a kneecap in Game 1 of the NBA Finals in June against the Golden State Warriors. It’s undetermined when he will return.
“Every day he adds a little bit to his workout regime,” Blatt said. “The idea with him is to go slowly and surely, not to rush anything and make sure he comes back 100 percent ready to play. We’ll continue that as long as it takes. He is making progress, he looks good.”