LeBron on playing through wrist sprain: 'It was a little sore ... but it was good'

LeBron James looked even better than he felt on Friday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers superstar returned from a one-game absence due to a sprained right wrist suffered on Tuesday, scoring 19 points and dishing seven assists in 33 minutes as the Cavs won their ninth consecutive game. 

Any concern that James wouldn't be able to play through the injury should have been allayed with his performance, but James did admit he's not yet at 100 percent.

"It was a little sore, obviously, being in live action," James said after the game. "But it was good."

James said the team's medical staff put the decision in his hands and he made the call to suit up. That wasn't the case Wednesday, when James said the wrist was too stiff and that he was unable to rotate it properly. Head coach David Blatt echoed that it's a manageable injury, and it doesn't sound as if anyone expects James back on the shelf because of it at any point.

The Cavs will look to win their 10th in a row on Saturday when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves, after which they'll host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Those two opponents should allow James to ease his workload or even take a night off should stiffness or discomfort resurface.

In 38 games, the 30-year-old James is averaging 26.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists. The Cavs have been 15 points per-100 possessions better with him on the floor than without, rendering them 2-8 without him compared to 26-12 with him.