Report: LeBron James expected to play in Cavaliers’ season opener

LeBron James will reportedly play in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season opener.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James is expected to play in the team’s season opener, reports Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears.

James has missed Cleveland’s last five preseason games and has not been participating in practice due to back discomfort. James received an anti-inflammatory injection in his back on Oct. 13.

James, entering his 13th season, averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 assists and 6 rebounds per game for Cleveland last year. He played in 69 regular season games, missing two weeks in the middle of the season.

In 20 postseason games, James averaged 30.1 points, 8.5 assists and 11.3 rebounds per game. The Cavaliers open the NBA season Tuesday against Eastern Conference rival the Chicago Bulls.

• GOLLIVER: Which coaches are sitting on hot seat entering the season?

- Rohan Nadkarni