Cavs, LeBron hit midseason freeze

LeBron James (left) and the Cleveland Cavaliers are going through their annual January freeze. It’s taking them longer to thaw this year, raising questions about whether they’re still the best team in the Eastern Conference or good enough to make their fourth consecutive NBA Finals.
LeBron James (left) and the Cleveland Cavaliers are going through their annual January freeze. It’s taking them longer to thaw this year, raising questions about whether they’re still the best team in the Eastern Conference or good enough to make their fourth consecutive NBA Finals.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- With sweat streaking down his face and into his beard, LeBron James was not in a playful mood after practice.

The cold stare. The pursed lips. The focus.

This is no time for frivolity.

With Cleveland in the midst of its annual January deep freeze -- a troubling stretch where losing multiplies quickly into rumors, drama and distractions -- the Cavaliers are being questioned again.

While they played well for more than three quarters in a loss -- their ninth in 12 games -- on Monday night to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, James found little to be encouraged about.

"You don't win championships ... losing a game is not encouraging at all," he said. "I liked the way we played in the first half. I liked the way we competed. But you get encouraged when you come out here and work when there ain't nobody watching. I'm more encouraged on what we did today than I am in the game the other day."

The Cavs remain a work in progress, an incomplete picture. Maybe even a damaged one.

Their aging roster, defensive deficiencies, injuries, Isaiah Thomas' slow-and-still-uncertain comeback from a hip injury and an inability to beat the league's elite teams have conjoined to raise doubts about whether the Cavs are still the best team in the Eastern Conference.

James didn't offer any excuses for the team's recent struggles, a stretch he called a "rough patch."

The three-time champion conceded that this season has been difficult.

"It's been very challenging just from the simple fact of how many guys have been in and out," he said. "This is a difficult year for our team. Seems like I say that every year, but this one has been even more challenging. It's been very challenging on our team. But we have to figure it out. At the end of the day, we have a game every other day or every two days just like everybody else in the NBA. We have to go out and play."

The Cavaliers opened the season 5-7, ripped off 18 victories in 19 games, and have gone just 3-9 since Dec. 19, losing twice in that span to the Warriors, their rivals in each of the past three Finals.

After Monday's fourth consecutive loss, James said he was pleased with the team's effort. But the same night, some unnamed Cleveland players told several media outlets privately that there was growing concern that the Cavs' problems might not be fixable.

Coach Tyronn Lue was aware of the reports, and he joked that the comments didn't come from any players he knows.

"I've seen where people said sources say, and I look down the roster and I don't see no guy named sources," Lue said. "We're going to be fine. The guys are putting in the work. The last couple of games have been very positive even though we lost, so things are going to be fine."

Thomas showed flashes of his All-Star form against the Warriors, playing his most minutes (32) since his return. Derrick Rose could be back as early as tonight against Orlando after being sidelined since Nov. 7 with a severe ankle injury. And the Cavaliers are in a stretch of playing seven of nine games at home.

The record should improve. Will the roster?

With the Feb. 8 trading deadline approaching, the Cavs might be able to land a top-tier player to help James if owner Dan Gilbert is willing to part with the first-round pick the team acquired from Boston in the summer trade involving Kyrie Irving. Of course, with James potentially becoming a free agent after this season, there's major risk involved.

The Cavaliers must weigh whether it's better to make a major move now and take another championship run this season or hang onto the pick to build for the future in case James leaves.

Whatever happens, Lue is confident his team will thrive.

"I believe," he said.

Sports on 01/18/2018

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