Independence, Ohio • With sweat streaking down his face and into his bushy beard, LeBron James was not in a playful mood following practice.
With Cleveland in the midst of its annual January deep freeze, a troubling stretch where losing multiplies quickly into rumors, drama and even more distractions for the NBA's most scrutinized superstar and his teammates, 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.