LeBron James, who left Wednesday's game with an ankle sprain but then returned to help lead the Cavaliers to victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, is listed as a game-time decision tonight against the New York Knicks.
"It's not as bad as we thought," Cavs coach Paul Silas said.
"From the looks of things, I doubt very seriously if he'll play [tonight]," the coach told the Associated Press.
"If he misses [tonight's] game, he will probably play on Sunday [against the Milwaukee Bucks] in Cleveland."
James injured his left ankle early in the fourth quarter when he went up for a jump shot and came down on the foot of Grizzlies guard Dahntay Jones, who was playing James so close that he did not have much space for a clear landing. James banged his fist on the court in disgust, and he tossed his mask, which he wears to protect his left cheek bone that was broken on Dec. 29 against the Houston Rockets.
James came back late in the fourth quarter. Though not 100 percent, James still managed to score, rebound and collect a steal during the final four minutes.
"He came back in, and it was due to his play that we won the game," Silas said. "The steals he came up with, running the floor and his defense."
The Cavs will sign Keon Clark to a 10-day contract, and he will join the team in time for tonight's game, according to several league sources.
The Cavs had interest in Clark during the off-season, but neither side could work things out. Clark missed most of last season with injuries, and he has not played this year. Clark is 6-11 and rail thin but an aggressive player who is a proven shot blocker. He has averaged 8.2 points and 5.9 rebounds during his career.
James may be able to come back sooner than later, but Ira Newble is out for at least a week with a left Achilles sprain that he suffered in the first quarter on Wednesday. Newble felt a twitch in his Achilles after shooting a jump shot.
"I just thought it was a little tweak," Newble said. "I continued to play, and Mike Miller kept going. I came off and tried to stretch it. I knew something was wrong because I couldn't run hard and it was hurting too bad. But it's really day to day. It's not serious. I just have to continue to get treatment."
James and Newble are just two of several Cavs players that have been hit by the injury bug recently. Jeff McInnis came back after missing two games with a left sprained mid-foot. He had 12 points and four assists in 39 minutes against the Grizzlies. Rookie Anderson Varejao is out with a high left ankle sprain, Luke Jackson is out for the season due to back surgery and Dajuan Wagner is in the hospital with colitis.
"The injuries have been crazy," Silas said. "But it's part of the game, and there's nothing you can do about it. Everyone goes through it. We just have to step up. This gives Sasha [Pavlovic], Scott Williams and DeSagana [Diop] a chance."
James did receive some good news Thursday when he was named to the 2005 got milk? Rookie Challenge on Feb. 18 in Denver at Pepsi Center during All-Star Weekend. The participants in the got milk? Rookie Challenge were selected by the NBA's assistant coaches with each team submitting one ballot. Last year, the Sophomores defeated James and his rookie teammates, 142-118.