LeBron James says he wants to play in all 82 games this season if he stays healthy

PHOENIX– Tonight, the Cavaliers take on the Phoenix Suns in their 67th game of the season.

It’s also the 67th game of the season for LeBron James, who has yet to miss one.

In his 15-year career, James has never played all 82 regular season games. The closest he came was in 2008-09 when he suited up for 81. In 2004-05 he took the court for 80 contests.

If his body holds up, he said playing in all 82 games is something he would want to do this year.

“I want to play every game as it is today,” James said at Cavs’ shootaround. “We’re at 67. I don’t know what’s going to happen between 67 and 82. I want to be available to my guys tonight, then we’ll worry about Thursday, then we’ll worry about Saturday and go from there. I take one game at a time. Like I told you earlier in the season, if my body continues to feel like it feels now, then I’ll be putting on a uniform.”

Of course, a large part of James feeling as good as he does is his training. When preseason began, he said he thought he was in some of the best shape of his career. He did have to struggle through an ankle injury, but has been going strong ever since the season started.

Really, James says he never takes time off.

“It’s around the clock, every single day,” James said of his training regimen. “Working on my body with treatment or working on my body in the weight room, just continuing to build strength throughout the season when everybody else is kind of tearing down. Working on my game on the court, not putting too much poundage on my legs when I’m on the court, but being very efficient.  I’ve kind of figured that out in my 15^th season.

“I’m honored and happy with what I’ve been able to do, I don’t take it for granted that I’ve been available for my team every game and hopefully that will continue.”

But while James may be a physical marvel, he is still human. There have been plenty of days he says where he hasn’t wanted to put in the extra work. The fact that he does, however, is what makes him LeBron James.

“Yeah, I’ve had a lot of those times,” he said. “And then probably two or three minutes later I was like get your ass up, let’s get to work. That’s just how I am.”