LeBron James Has Had a Sore Back for Weeks


It was obvious on Thursday night against the LA Clippers that LeBron James wasn’t his normal, dominant self. James says he’s been dealing with lower back soreness for a few weeks now. Per the AP: “He revealed specifics about the issue Thursday night after scoring 18 points to help the Miami Heat top the Los Angeles Clippers, 102-97. ‘I’ve had a history of it, but I always keep a good eye on it so I should be all right,’ James said. ‘It ain’t a great feeling, I’ll tell you that — especially at nighttime when you’re trying to sleep.’ James has worn heat packs to keep his back loose at times through Miami’s first six games, and this is not the first time that he’s dealt with back problems early in a season. He began applying the heat packs after diving for a loose ball in the first quarter of the win over the Clippers, on a play where he got off the court shaking his left hand. Turns out, he also felt like his back locked on the play. ‘He didn’t look as spry as he normally does,’ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. It’s way too early to draw any real conclusions from numbers, but James’ scoring and rebounding are down so far this season — albeit slightly — from his normal rates. He’s averaging 24.3 points, 7.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds through six games, shooting 56 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range. ‘Just trying to get healthy,’ James said. ‘But I’m working it. I’m doing everything I can to get back to my normal self. … With our medical staff here, we continue to hone in on what we can do to get better. I think the good thing about it is it’s not my first time having back issues. So I should be all right.'”