LeBron James scores 19 in return to Cavs
As if the King was going to sit out against a team that calls themselves royalty.
In a minor surprise, LeBron James played for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday as they beat the Sacramento Kings 101-90. James, who sat out Wednesday after spraining his wrist on Tuesday, was considered doubtful earlier in the day.
Getting James back in the lineup allowed the Cavaliers to continue to build momentum, as they've now won nine consecutive games since losing in James' return to the lineup on Jan. 13. The team had gone just 1-7 while James sat to rest a sore knee to fall to 19-19 prior to that point. They've since vaulted to 28-20, even winning against a tough Portland Trail Blazers team on Wednesday without James.
Kyrie Irving stepped up in a major way, scoring 55 points in James' stead, but it's unrealistic to expect that regularly. Returning to the lineup in short order should also allow James to continue to build his own individual momentum, something he was doing up until Tuesday.
| LeBron James | Pre-Rest | Post-Rest |
|---|---|---|
| MPG | 37.5 | 36.3 |
| PPG | 25.2 | 30.5 |
| RPG | 5.3 | 6.8 |
| APG | 7.6 | 6.4 |
| TS% | 58.4% | 59.4% |
James finished with 19 points and seven assists but was tasked with playing just 33 minutes with a hefty lead.
The Cavaliers have been 14.5 points per-100 possessions better with James on the floor than off of it this year, and his upgrade from doubtful to active was enough to shift the spread on the game by a point, making the Cavs eight-point favorites.