CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James will sit out Friday's exhibition game against the Indiana Pacers as he recovers from a sprained left ankle.
James got hurt on Sept. 27 when he stepped on a teammate's foot in practice. He took part in Cleveland's workout on Thursday and the club wanted to see how he responded before deciding if he would try to go against the Pacers. He's going to sit again as a precaution, the team said.
The three-time champion also missed Wednesday's preseason opener against Atlanta. Cleveland next plays on Tuesday against Chicago.
James and his teammates attended Thursday night's AL Division Series matchup between the Indians and New York Yankees.
Iman Shumpert will miss Friday's game with a sprained left foot that is expected to keep him out for a week or more.
The Cavaliers open the regular season on Oct. 17 against the Boston Celtics.
