Cavs' Smith hopes to play in game three
J.R. Smith is battling a hamstring injury but the Cleveland Cavaliers guard played down concerns over his availability.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith is hopeful of a quick return from a hamstring injury which restricted him in his team's win over the Indiana Pacers.
Smith was dealing with a tender left hamstring and was kept out of the lineup in the second half of the 117-111 game two victory on Monday.
Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said Smith "tried to give it a go" for the third quarter, but said "it was not smart" to play.
Smith was evaluated Monday and will get checked out again before the series moves to Indiana for Thursday's game three.
Smith, who had a noticeable limp Monday, hopes to play Thursday.
"If they let me play, I'll play. My leg ain't broke," Smith told reporters, via ESPN, following Monday's win that gave the Cavs a 2-0 series lead.
"I wanted to play, they didn't want me to play."
Iman Shumpert replaced Smith in the second half and Lue praised the 26-year-old, especially on defense as the Pacers held Indiana's Paul George to four points in the third quarter.
"It was really good for us," Lue said of Shumpert. "We needed that spark."