There is rest for the weary after all -- at least in the NBA.

Mike Brown said LeBron James will not play in Monday night's game against San Antonio. For the second game in a row, the reigning MVP will rest.

"The doctors aren't even involved in this ... " Brown said Monday after the team's shootaround. "I think this is an opportune time for him to get some rest with the amount of days we have in-between games."

James has been pretty beat up lately. Against Toronto Feb. 26, he suffered a thigh bruise, then stayed on the floor for some time after falling awkwardly on the ball. In a home win over Detroit March 5, he turned his ankle. Twice. Asked after the game how it was, he said: "It's been better."

Brown chose to rest him the next night, a loss in Milwaukee. The Cavs were off Sunday and they will be off the three days after the game against San Antonio. Resting him against San Antonio will give him almost an entire week off.

"It's the amount of minutes he's been playing as of late and where we are in the season," Brown said. "We're getting down to the stretch run."

James had played 40 minutes or more in nine of 14 games before the win over Detroit. He played 36 or more in four of the other five. Included in that stretch was the trip to the All-Star Break, with all the weekend's festivities. Injuries to Mo Williams and Shaquille O'Neal and the absence of Daniel Gibson (birth of a child) meant that James had to play a larger role in running and carrying the team's offense.

"It will do him and his body well to sit (against San Antonio) and then tomorrow and the next day and then possibly practice Thursday and play Friday (in Philadelphia)," Brown said.

Brown said the Cavs have "capable players," but he admitted sitting James "affects our chances."

"It's going to be a little tougher to win minus him than with him," Brown said.

This is the perpetual balancing act for a coach between trying to win and having a team rested for the playoffs -- and letting a guy play.

"It's real difficult," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. "People can always argue either way. But you can't look at wins and losses. If a LeBron sits or a (Tim) Duncan sits out it's more about being at your best when playoff time comes. It's a fine line. Anytime you can give those guy a rest down the stretch it's important."

Brown said the fortunes of the Lakers are not affecting his decision. Los Angeles has lost three in a row and now is two games behind Cleveland in the competition to see which team will have home court advantage if the two play in the Finals. (The Cavs also have the edge of winning the season series 2-0.) Last season the Cavs had home court the entire playoffs and didn't reach the Finals.

"If it was about the playoffs," Brown said, "I'd have said, 'Hey, tape that bad boy up against Milwaukee.' Which he could do if it's a playoff game.

"But with all the bumps and bruises that he does have and the minutes that he's logged -- he may not say this -- but his body has to be feeling the effects of playing all those minutes. It was great for him to take that night off. Same tonight."

Source: Pat McManamon, FanHouse