CLEVELAND — LeBron James will sit out Cleveland’s regular-season finale, resting a strained right calf in preparation for the playoffs.
James didn’t play in Monday night’s loss at Miami and General Manager David Griffin confirmed Tuesday that James will miss Wednesday’s game against Toronto.
James, 32, who hasn’t played in the last regular-season game since 2007, logged 47 minutes in Sunday’s overtime loss at Atlanta. He’s trying to reach the finals for a seventh straight time.
The Cavaliers have prioritized health and rest over getting the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. They also sat guard Kyrie Irving against the Heat. He’s been bothered by soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.
Cleveland is also without center Tristan Thompson, who has a sprained right thumb.
• Cleveland will sign free- agent swingman Dahntay Jones for the postseason.
Jones, 36, made a significant contribution in last year’s finals, when Cleveland rallied from a 3-1 deficit to stun Golden State. He came off the bench and scored five quick points in Game 6.
WARRIORS: Stephen Curry has the best-selling jersey in the NBA for the second consecutive year.
The league announced that NBAStore.com sales show Curry leading LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving for the most popular jersey this season.
The NBA also said the Warriors have the best-selling merchandise as a franchise this season, ahead of the Cavaliers, Bulls, Lakers and Knicks.
Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas appears in the top 15 in jersey sales for the first time at No. 14.
HAWKS: Atlanta appointed Malik Rose as general manager of its D-League affiliate in Erie, Pennsylvania, beginning next season.
Rose also will maintain his duties as manager of basketball operations for the Hawks.
The Hawks’ new D-League franchise will play in Erie the next two seasons before relocating in 2019 to a 3,500-seat arena that will be built in College Park , adjacent to Atlanta’s airport and only about 10 miles from Philips Arena.
Rose was in the NBA for 13 years, playing with Charlotte, San Antonio, New York and Oklahoma City. He won NBA titles with the Spurs in 1999 and 2003.
CHARLES OAKLEY appeared at a Manhattan criminal court for an arraignment hearing stemming from a series of misdemeanor charges he faces after a scuffle with Madison Square Garden security during a February Knicks game.
After a three-minute hearing, Oakley was ordered to file motions by May 16 and appear again on May 30. He faces two assault charges, two harassment charges and criminal trespassing.
Dressed in a dark blue suit, Oakley was the first of about 125 cases called before Judge Judy Kim at the lower Manhattan courthouse. The former Knicks player remained silent while assistant district attorney Ryan Lipes read the charges.
According to Lipes, Oakley told police during his arrest that he had “a couple of drinks” before arriving at the Garden for the Knicks-Clippers game Feb. 8. “Every time I come to the Garden, Dolan has security guards on me,” Oakley told police, referring to Knicks owner James Dolan.
“Every time I come to the Garden, nothing good happens.”
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