Improving James May Play Tonight

Cleveland forward LeBron James is feeling better, and will try to play in the Cavaliers’ exhibition tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies.

James was hospitalized for two days last week because of pleurisy, a virus that caused severe pain in his chest.

He practiced for the second straight day on Tuesday.

“I’m 90% better than I was last week, but I’m not where I want to be,” he said. “But I’ll get there.”

James was in the Cleveland Clinic last week while doctors tried to determine what was causing the pain in his chest that developed the morning after the club’s exhibition opener in Washington.

The third-year All-Star has missed Cleveland’s last three games while recovering.

“I want to get out there with my teammates and see how it goes,” James said after practice. “I’ll play as many minutes as I can or as many minutes as Coach [Mike Brown] will allow me.”

The Cavaliers have four more exhibitions before they open the season Nov. 2 against New Orleans.

*

Guard Jermaine Jackson was waived by the Chicago Bulls, two weeks after he was acquired from the New York Knicks. He was sent to the Bulls with Michael Sweetney and Tim Thomas for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis.... New Orleans waived guard Troy Bell after he appeared in only one exhibition. The all-time scoring leader at Boston College, Bell signed as a free agent with the Hornets on Oct. 1. He was drafted 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2003 NBA draft.