NBA notebook: Cavs coach Lue taking leave of absence
Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue is taking a leave of absence as he battles a mystery illness that has forced him to miss all or part of three games this season, the team announced Monday.
"After many conversations with our doctors and Koby (Altman, the general manager) and much thought given to what is best for the team and my health, I need to step back from coaching for the time being and focus on trying to establish a stronger and healthier foundation from which to coach for the rest of the season," Lue said in a statement.
"I have had chest pains and other troubling symptoms, compounded by a loss of sleep, throughout the year. Despite a battery of tests, there have been no conclusions as to what the exact issue is."
Larry Drew was named interim head coach.
--Cavaliers All-Star forward Kevin Love was scheduled to return from a broken left hand to play Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Love, 29, missed the past 21 games since breaking the fifth metacarpal on the hand in a Jan. 30 game against the Detroit Pistons. The five-time All-Star is averaging 17.9 points and 9.4 rebounds in 48 games this season.
Love's return comes at a time when center Tristan Thompson (ankle) and power forward Larry Nance Jr. (hamstring) are out with injuries.
--Orlando Magic leading scorer Aaron Gordon will be available to play Tuesday after clearing the NBA's concussion protocol, the team announced.
Gordon, who averages 18.3 points, suffered his second concussion of the season March 7 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 22-year-old power forward, who becomes a restricted free agent after the season, has missed the last five games.
--Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul says he'd pay any fine levied to teammate Gerald Green stemming from a fourth-quarter altercation Sunday with Minnesota's Gorgui Dieng, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Green ran up and shoved the Timberwolves center into the first row of seats after Dieng had pushed Paul to the ground with 10 minutes to play. Players from both teams had to be separated in the aftermath, and Green was ejected.
Green, signed by Houston in December, is averaging 11.3 points per game this season.
--Field Level Media
