James Questionable for Pacers Game, Waiters Shoots Down Trade Rumors

On Wednesday, the Miami Heat (18-6) will take on the Indiana Pacers (20-4) and they may do so without LeBron James. On Tuesday, he sat out of practice, resting a sore ankle. James  is considered questionable for the game.

Just last week on their home court, the Pacers defeated the Heat 90-84.

James’ injury came in Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz (6-21) during the third quarter. He tripped over his own foot and left the court for a brief time in the fourth quarter but he returned to play, finishing out the game to participate in the 117-94 win.

LeBron James

The player received treatment on Tuesday and is expected to have more on Wednesday before there’s a determination on whether or not he’ll play. On Tuesday after the team’s practice, James said the ankle felt “about the same” as Monday night and added via ESPN that it was “very stiff, very sore. Like I said, I’ve had my fair share of ankle twists. I already knew what it was going to be [like] today. I’m going to be [in] around-the-clock treatment. We’ve been through this, so we know how to attack it.”

Should James miss Wednesday’s game, it will be his first absence of the season.

In last week’s game against the Pacers, James had 17 points with a 6 of 16 shooting from the field–a season low.

The Pacers will come to Miami with the league’s best record but the Heat is nipping at their heels. Last week, the Pacers came out with a a chip on their shoulders. Will they bring the same intensity to Game 2?

It’s too soon for tonight’s line but Bovada sees the Heat at 2/1 to win the 2014 NBA Championship, followed by the Pacers at 4/1.

Waiters Denies Trade Request

For weeks now, Cleveland Cavaliers (9-15) guard Dion Waiters had been a topic of trade talks. This has came on reported tensions between Waiters and his teammates earlier in the season and pouting by him after he lost his starting role.

Dion Waiters

Prior to the team’s game versus the Portland Trail Blazers (20-4) on Tuesday evening, Waiters said that he was happy with the Cavaliers and that he had been surprised by rumors of him asking for a trade.

He said via NBC Sports, “Why would I do that? It doesn’t make sense. This is the team that drafted me. People come up with their own things, man. I know what I said and what I didn’t say. That’s one of the things I absolutely never said.”

Also on Tuesday, rumors came out that Waiters has asked for a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers (7-19)–his hometown–but he has denied this. This didn’t stop Bleacher Report from writing the the following, also on Tuesday:

It’s no secret that the Cleveland Cavaliers have been shopping second-year shooting guard Dion Waiters, and the latest update, according to two sources who spoke with Bleacher Report, is that the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as the top two suitors. And both are realistic destinations based on trade assets and financial complements.

According to a source close to Waiters, he “wants out” of Cleveland and “prefers to go to Philly because he thinks he’d be the best player on the team. That’s his mindset.

Waiters, in his NBA sophomore year after being 2012’s No. 4 pick, has regressed this season but he still sits as the team’s second-top scorer with his 14.4 point average. Since the middle of November, he’s been playing off the bench and on Tuesday night, he scored 25 points (11 points in the fourth quarter) with five assists as his team lost 119-116.

On Friday, the Cavaliers will play the Milwaukee Bucks (5-19). For the 2014 NBA Championship, they sit at 100/1 to win it.