Cavs News: J.R. Smith to Return Against Indiana Pacers

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After sitting out three preseason games with a sore left hamstring and being largely limited to making cotton candy purchases while his teammates looked on, J.R. Smith is expected to return to action Thursday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers.

Smith told Chris Haynes of Northeast Ohio Media Group that he is no longer feeling any pain in his hamstring, which he pulled before the Cavs’ preseason opener last week against Atlanta. He started the loss to the Hawks in spite of that and scored a team-high 15 points.

“If it were the regular season, I wouldn’t have missed a game,” Smith said.

In addition to Smith, Timofey Mozgov will be available after sitting out the 110-101 loss Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena to the Milwaukee Bucks. Sasha Kaun, the 7-footer from Russia who has played overseas for the past seven years, started at center in place of Mozgov in that game and had five fouls through three quarters.

LeBron James will not play against the Pacers in what the team said is part of its veteran maintenance program rather than any lingering effects of an illness which caused him to be sent home Tuesday. James has yet to play in consecutive games this preseason.

Following their game with the Pacers, the Cavs will conclude the preseason Sunday at Toronto and Monday at home against Dallas.

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Ken Hornack is a longtime NBA sports journalist. Before covering the Orlando Magic for the Daytona Beach News-Journal and FoxSportsFlorida.com, the native of the Cleveland area got his foot in the door with the Cavaliers during the Tom Nissalke coaching era and will forever associate his senior year of high school with the Miracle of Richfield. You can follow him @Ken_Hornack.