LOS ANGELES: Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue actually apologized to ABC.
For the second consecutive Saturday, the television network’s featured NBA game was missing half its stars.
Injury issues prompted Lue to sit the Big Three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love against the Los Angeles Clippers. He said the three will instead play Sunday night against the Lakers, also at Staples Center.
The Eastern Conference leaders sent out a lineup of Deron Williams, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye and Tristan Thompson against the Clippers, tied for fifth in the West going into the day’s play.
The Cavs had a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a victory and a Milwaukee Bucks loss at Golden State later Saturday night.
A week ago, Warriors coach Steve Kerr sat Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala in the ABC game against the San Antonio Spurs, even though the move could possibly cost the Warriors the Western Conference lead.
Kerr said two of the four were “fried.” At that time, the Warriors were one game from finishing a stretch of eight games in eight cities and three time zones over a span of 13 days.
The Cavs’ game against the Clippers marked the start of a four-game, three-city road trip over three time zones that concludes March 24 in Charlotte. They also play 12 out of 17 games in March on the road, and the Clippers game was No. 7.
When it was suggested that the network might decide to abandon the Saturday night games, Lue said: “I know. Sorry ABC. This wasn’t intentional, it’s serious.
“No need to have setbacks to play one game on national TV. We’re being smart about it.”
Health issues were the motivation for Lue’s decision. Love returned Thursday, four weeks and two days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Irving sat out the fourth quarter of that game with tightness in his left knee.
Some might have thought it would make more sense to rest James, Irving and Love against the Lakers (20-49, eliminated from the playoffs and last in the West) instead of the Clippers (40-29).
“Kevin’s game plan the whole time was to try to get two or three days in between each game and him only having one day, we knew he was going to be out of the Clipper game,” Lue said. “Kyrie’s knee soreness for the last game, even though he and Bron are pissed, they want to play.
“It’s being cautious with our medical staff — with [physical therapist] George [Sibel] and [head trainer] Steve [Spiro] and all those guys. They just said it would be a good game for those guys to take off and be ready to go tomorrow.”
Lue said it was tough for him as well because the Cavs have started to get in a good rhythm defensively and offensively.
“The biggest thing is if they play tomorrow then everybody will be back and we can kind of start building, everybody will be building going forward,” Lue said. “So if they were to play tonight, Kevin is out and then it’s [play him] tomorrow. So just kind of having our whole team back together tomorrow will be big for us. But every time we seem to catch a rhythm or get something good going, something happens.”
Korver update
Kyle Korver missed his sixth consecutive game with a sore tendon in his left foot and will probably not play against the Lakers, Lue said. If he misses both LA games, that will run Korver’s string to seven consecutive games out.
“He said he’s feeling better. There’s progress,” Lue said. “Everything goes through the training staff. They want to kind of see him go through a practice before he does anything serious and that’s understandable. Hopefully we’ll have him pretty soon.”
Shump a surprise
Lue said he didn’t expect Iman Shumpert to be available after he sprained his left shoulder in the third quarter against the Jazz.
“I was very surprised, but, that’s who he is,” Lue said. “That’s why we call him bionic man. He’s ready to go, he’s ready to play, so that’s a good sign for us.”
Derrick Williams, a pregame scratch Thursday with a bruised right quad, was set to play against the Clippers.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com.