After Jordan Clarkson connected on a 22-foot pull-up jumper that led to a crucial four-point play Saturday at Chicago, Cavaliers star LeBron James gave the 25-year-old guard a pat on the head.
It was the same kind of tap of approval that felt like a sign of endearment when James reacted to similar feats by Kyrie Irving during their three seasons together.
James had to like the steely determination of Clarkson, who drained the shot with 1:27 remaining after missing his previous three attempts. James had to feel good about the way that Clarkson handled the pass he rifled to the corner, putting it up without hesitation. James loved the ramifications as the victory at United Center helped the Cavs end their longest road trip of the season 3-3.
The Cavs finished the journey in third place in the Eastern Conference, the same spot they held when they departed.
The adversity faced during their 12 nights away and the fight the shorthanded Cavs showed in their final two games may have drawn them closer, even if the Clarkson tap was just a product of the moment and not a sign of bonding.
They played the second half against the Bulls without six players and coach Tyronn Lue, who remained in the locker room after halftime with an illness.
It marked the third time this season that Lue had been forced to leave or miss a game. On Feb. 6 at Orlando, he departed in the second quarter and did not return. Associate head coach Larry Drew also took over before a home game against the Bulls on Dec. 21, when Lue was too sick to work.
James told reporters in Chicago afterward that Lue is battling the same issue.
"It doesn't catch us off guard because he's been dealing with it for so long now," James said. "But anytime he doesn't come back to the bench, it's just an alarm going off.
"He's the captain of the ship ... we worry about his health, obviously. That's way more important than this game of basketball. We know he's been doing everything he needs to do to stay healthy, take even more measures to get himself right. Everything that's been going on with our year, it's just another one."
On the road trip, the Cavs also lost Rodney Hood (lower back strain) and Cedi Osman (left hip strain) March 9 against the Clippers and Larry Nance Jr. (sore right hamstring) Tuesday against the Suns. Kyle Korver left the team before Saturday's game to attend to a personal matter. The Cavs were already without five-time All-Star Kevin Love (fractured left hand) and Tristan Thompson (sprained right ankle).
That's why 3-3 felt so satisfying.
"I call this a very successful trip ... given the circumstances of what we had to endure," Drew told the media in Chicago.
While Love hopes to return for Friday's home game against the Suns and Thompson could be getting closer, some Cavs called on to do more came through.
Clarkson scored 56 points (18.7) in the final three games and averaged 14.8 on the road trip. Jose Calderon took over at point guard against the Bulls and the Cavs improved to 18-8 in games he starts. Although Calderon did not play at Portland or Denver, he totaled six of the Cavs' 25 assists at Chicago (where James had 12) and five of the team's 25 at Phoenix (where James had 11).
Jeff Green, who came into Saturday shooting 6-of-30 beyond the arc in his last 10 games, connected on 2-of-6 from long range and 8-of-14 from the field for 21 points against the Bulls.
Rookie Ante Zizic started his second game of the season and displayed his continued improvement with 14 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes.
Players like Zizic and Calderon getting playing time should benefit the Cavs going forward, along with extra minutes for players like Clarkson.
The Cavs came home fixated on the future, with Calderon hoping they will have at least eight or 10 games with a healthy roster to put it all together.
James wants to see what kind of team the Cavs can become, although he acknowledged, "That's still going to be challenging. It's hard to just hit the switch like that."
Through the injuries and Lue's illness, James has carried the Cavs. Against the Bulls, he recorded his 15th triple-double of the season and 70th of his career, becoming the sixth in league history to reach that mark. He scored or assisted on 11 of the Cavs' last 15 points.
With three triple-doubles on the six-game trip, James kept the Cavs in position and showed he thinks better times could lie ahead. He demonstrated that not only with his stat line, but with the encouragement he gave his teammates.
"I'm having a heck of a time playing the game right now no matter who's in the lineup for us," James told the media Saturday. "The joy of the game is very high for me right now."
The exuberance in James' performances _ and a celebratory head tap _ seem to indicate he still believes a strange season can be salvaged. Considering what the Cavs have been through, that's a signal sorely needed.
