CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The "bigger picture" for the Cavaliers looks something like this.
Trailing the Boston Celtics, 54-40, at halftime Friday night in what was the first of four meaningless games to end the regular season, LeBron James put a charge into the Cleveland offense.
He sped up his sluggish teammates, zipping the ball into Timofey Mozgov for a pair of dunks and to Matthew Dellavedova for a three-pointer in the third quarter. A little while later in the period, James put his shoulder into Kelly Olynyk, converted a layup, and nailed the ensuing free throw.
And when James connected with Mike Miller for Miller's third three-pointer of the quarter -- with 39.5 seconds left -- the Cavs tied the score at 77.
A 37-point third quarter was in the books, and James had his team in position to win its 19th in a row at The Q.
Then, he was sent to the bench. So was Kevin Love. Neither returned, nor did the Cavs' chances. They lost, 99-90, for the first time at home since Jan. 7.
"Of course, being a competitor, for sure" it's tough to sit out a fourth quarter in a close game, James conceded. "But for me being a 12-year veteran, the bigger picture is always what's important. For us, what's important is to stay in a rhythm, and I think we got some really good minutes out of the guys that was in the lineup tonight, the big guys that play the bulk of the minutes."
The Cavs clinched the No. 2 seed in the East Wednesday and have nothing to play for through the regular-season finale next week. The playoffs start next weekend at The Q.
The Celtics have everything to play for, and with the win remained in seventh place in the East. If the playoffs were today, they'd face the Cavs -- a fact that doesn't seem to bother Cleveland in the least.
In response to a question about James and Love sitting the fourth quarter, former Ohio State Buckeye and Celtics forward Evan Turner told Boston writers "I really didn't care. I threw away my LeBron poster in high school."
Iman Shumpert (bruised quad) and Kyrie Irving (sore hip) didn't play Friday night, but coach David Blatt indicated that the two would've played had it been a postseason game.
Cleveland plays in Boston again Sunday. James was asked if he'll play and said: "I don't know. I don't believe so but I'm not quite sure yet."
Blatt said playing time for individual players in the Cavs' games Sunday and Monday at home against Detroit is "already planned and determined."
Welcome to one, giant, collective "chill mode" for the Cavs, who, of course, wouldn't want it any other way.
"The outcome of the games is a little less important because we finished in second place in the Eastern Conference and we won the (Central) division and that's not going to change one way or the other," Blatt said.
James contributed 14 points, seven assists, and three rebounds in 26 minutes. He shot 5-of-14 from the field and scored eight points in the second quarter. Love led the Cavs with 19 points.
Miller added 11 and played significant minutes (23) for the first time in what seems like ages. So too did Shawn Marion (21 minutes), Kendrick Perkins (15), and Joe Harris.
Mozgov added 13 points in about 17 minutes. J.R. Smith didn't score in a little over 18 minutes.
Really, the Cavs didn't play well for two quarters. They shot 33 percent in the opening period, and were slow defensively the entire first half. Their ball movement and defensive rotations took on the urgency of a team playing out the string.
Dellavedova (nine points) cut Cleveland's deficit to 14 points at halftime with a 17-footer at the buzzer.
Only the third quarter was more of what you're used to seeing from the NBA's best team since mid-January. James drove into the lane and found the open man, either under the hoop or standing on the arc.
But when James was asked if he felt good about what transpired Friday night because of that third quarter -- when Cleveland reached a level of respectability -- he said "umm, I feel good, period."
"I think we did a good job of that tonight with the guys that was in," James said.
The point was well taken. This one didn't matter. Only the health and well being of the Cavs are important, though even that took on a little water when Love jammed a finger in the first quarter and James was elbowed in the face by Marcus Smart early in the third.
Both players were fine. Their fourth quarters convalescing on the bench while the game slipped away had nothing to do with those minor, Friday night nicks. It was about the big picture.
"We came in with a very specific idea of how we wanted to play the game minutes wise and I was going to remain true to that, regardless of the score," Blatt said.