LeBron James wasn’t LeBron James last night. He only shot the ball 13 times, and had just 18 points. Dwyane Wade took control over the game, but LeBron clearly was off. Well, he has a pretty good excuse:
LeBron says his lower back locked up on him a bit during the 1st quarter tonight but heating pads got him through okay
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) November 8, 2013
LeBron says his back issues have been going on for "a couple weeks," but the only way it'd keep him off the court is if he can't get out bed
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) November 8, 2013
LeBron says he has had a history of back spasms, "but I keep an eye on it."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) November 8, 2013
LeBron: "The good thing is, it's not my first time having back issues, so I'll be all right."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) November 8, 2013
So, this isn’t good. If it was up to me, LeBron would be sitting until he feels better. The Heat clearly want to win all of the statement games, but the rest of the regular season will be just be Miami going through the motions. Dwyane Wade is already resting for Miami on back to backs, so LeBron can have a resting buddy.
The Heat will have an extremely tough route to their 4th straight Finals, and health will be crucial to their chances. The offense has looked good, as they have scored 100 points in all 6 games this season. They will be battling health, lethargic attitudes, and miles this season. This may not be a big deal, but it is certainly something to watch. LeBron is downplaying it as much as he can.