There were plenty of irritated fans in Atlanta (and let's face it, in Cleveland) on Tuesday when the NBA's #1 box-office draw, Cleveland Cavs superstar LeBron James, sat due to knee soreness.
However, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com argues, sitting James was likely a very smart decision when looking at the long term:
Plenty of people wanted to see James play against Atlanta, especially because games against the top teams in the NBA are being used as a barometer to see whether the Cavs are truly a title contender. But it's December, and that answer won't come for at least another few months.
I have been hoping the Cavs would limit James' minutes, rest him other nights and sit him when he's feeling less than 100 percent. Even on his birthday, I had no problem with James resting. The Cavs play the second of back-to-back games tomorrow night at The Q and he has carried quite a burden early in the season.
With the Cavs likely to find their way into the Eastern Conference's final 8 barring a collapse of epic proportions, getting James needed rest in the middle of the campaign might be exactly what the team needs to truly do damage come playoff time.
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