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Lue, Smith out Thursday against Bulls

CLEVELAND – The Cavaliers will have a shorthanded rotation and coaching staff on Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena.

Within one hour before opening tipoff against the Bulls, Cleveland ruled out both shooting guard J.R. Smith (knee) and head coach Tyronn Lue (ill). Associate head coach Larry Drew will assume duties at the helm, while Channing Frye will shift into the starting lineup for the first time this season.

Lue talked to the media at a pregame press conference, but was ruled out of action shortly thereafter. He previously coached every game throughout the first two months of the campaign.

The severity of Smith’s status remains unknown, as he reportedly was not with his normal shooting group at shootaround earlier in the day. With three off-days separating the Wine and Gold from their next matchup, he will use the weekend to recover from the soreness.

Smith is averaging 7.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals over 30.3 minutes per game in 2017-18. He was part of a three-team deal that sent Dion Waiters to the Thunder on Jan. 7, 2015.

John Alfes has covered Cleveland sports since August of 2016. Follow him on Twitter @JohnAlfes for breaking news and in-depth coverage all season long.

John Alfes is a senior at John Carroll University, and hails from Westlake, Ohio. His love and passion for the game of baseball originated in 1998, when he played catch with his father at the age of two. A former collegiate pitcher, Alfes currently serves as a Cleveland Cavaliers reporter for AP Radio/Metro Networks and the Cleveland Indians Beat Writer for CBS Sports/Scout Media Network, all while majoring in Communications (focus in Journalism) and English (focus in Professional Writing). He is the Sports Editor for The Carroll News, Sports Director for WJCU 88.7 FM and Senior Writer for the John Carroll Sports Information Department. John is an Eagle Scout and loves his two younger brothers (Conrad and Daniel) and two parents (John and Celeste). You can follow John Alfes on Twitter (@JohnAlfes) or reach him through email (jalfes18@jcu.edu).

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