Cleveland: LeBron James made certain another news-filled day ended with his own headline.
James scored 40 points as part of his third triple-double in four games and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 124-117 as coach Tyronn Lue began his leave of absence to address health issues.
Lue said he been dealing with chest pains and loss of sleep, and that tests have offered no conclusion about what the issue is. Associate head coach Larry Drew will run the team in Lue’s absence.
Lue’s departure came several hours before Kevin Love returned after missing six weeks because of a broken left hand. The All-Star forward scored 18 points in 25 minutes.
Losing their coach while getting back a star player seems to fit the narrative of this turbulent season. The Cavaliers (41-29) are third in the Eastern Conference and have endured roster shake-ups, injuries and other distractions as they try to reach the NBA Finals for the fourth straight time.
“If it’s not one thing, it’s another,” James said.
James scored 17 points in the third quarter and finished with 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 16th triple-double this season and 71st of his career.
