May 12--CLEVELAND -- LeBron James is shooting 37.7 percent from the field in this Bulls series and has just made 2 of 19 from downtown. But he can live with that.
"I'm never concerned about what I'm doing offensively because offense doesn't define my game," James said after the Cavaliers' morning practice before Game 5. "It may define a lot of guys in our league ... but if I'm not scoring, I can still affect the game."
James hit the game-winner Sunday, of course, to give his team home-court advantage in what's now a best-of-three series.
He needed to hoist 30 shots to get 25 points but also stuffed the box score with 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks ... and 8 turnovers.
"I'm doing whatever it takes to help our team win," he said. "I'm not shooting a great percentage, but I've been in attack (mode). I'm OK with my attack turnovers, not OK with my shooting percentage."
James did not participate in Tuesday's practice and appeared for interviews in flip-flops with his left ankle taped. He injured it stepping on Derrick Rose's foot in transition.
"It's been better," James said of the ankle, "but it's been worse."
He'll test it tonight before Game 5 and play no matter what.
There was no update on Kyrie Irving's foot and knee injuries, but he is expected to suit up as well.
"He's been hampered a little bit -- or a lot," James said, "more than probably since he was out with the (right toe) injury at Duke. But he will give us what he has."
No(ah) fan: Opponents typically praise each other during playoff series, with James saying of Jimmy Butler, for example: "Jimmy is a great defender, does a great job of keeping a body on me at all times."
But Cavs center Timofey Mozgov is not even impressed with Joakim Noah as a rebounder.
Asked if he's one of the tougher players he deals with on the glass, Mozgov replied: "No."
Is he top-10?
"No."
Noah has been brutal on offense in the series, averaging 4 points on 25 percent shooting. But he did grab a game-high 15 rebounds in Game 4 -- six on the offensive glass. Mozgov had nine boards.
tgreenstein@tribpub.com
