INDEPENDENCE: After completing one of the most memorable performances in postseason history, LeBron James has moved on. He isn’t spending much time these days thinking about last season or the way he dragged a wounded roster to within two victories of a championship.
Now the obstacle course has been reset. James is ready to run it yet again.
“I don’t really compare years,” he said. “I think we’re ready right now. We’re not comparing it to last year.”
James enters the postseason with plenty of momentum. He was named player of the month in the East yet again for April, meaning he swept the final three months of awards entering the playoffs.
He’ll also have more help around him. The roster is nearly fully healthy entering Sunday’s playoff opener against the Detroit Pistons.
Iman Shumpert missed the last two games of the regular season after having his left knee drained, but coach Tyronn Lue reiterated Friday that Shumpert will be ready for Game 1 on Sunday against the Pistons.
That leaves Mo Williams as the only injured player. Williams has already been ruled out of Game 1, although Lue is hopeful he could be available for Game 2 on Wednesday. Williams traveled to New York recently to be examined by Dr. David Altcheck, the same doctor who operated on Kevin Love’s shoulder last year. The Cavs hope with more rest and treatment on his ailing left knee, Williams will be able to contribute.
For now, Lue is hopeful the experience much of this roster received during last season’s run will help prepare them for what lies ahead.
“Our approach is different,” he said. “Last year, going to the Finals and guys getting a taste of that and then Kyrie [Irving] and Kevin [Love] was injured. You know, Kyrie had one game [in the NBA Finals] and Kevin didn’t get a chance to enjoy that whole run.
“With our experience now, with guys like Delly [Matthew Dellavedova] and J.R. [Smith] and Shump and those guys, it’s going to be big for us in the playoffs.”
James hasn’t decided yet if he will continue his self-imposed social media ban that he started in 2012. James routinely signs off all of his social media accounts during the postseason, but said this year he is open to changing that strategy.
“In the past, I haven’t done it until like the night before the game anyways,” James said. “We don’t play until Sunday, so I still have a day, two days to figure out what I’m going to do. But it doesn’t matter. If I’m on social media, if I’m off social media I’m going to be locked in anyway. I’m not worried about that.”
Watch party
The Cavs will again host fans at Quicken Loans Arena during all road games this postseason to watch the games on the scoreboard. The first watch party is Game 3 on Friday, April 22. Admission is $5, and all money from first-round tickets will go to the Centers for Families and Children, City Year Cleveland and Domestic Violence and Child Advocacy Center.
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.