NEW YORK -- LeBron James will suit up for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the New York Knicks on Monday, marking Game No. 81 of 81 in which the star forward will have played this season.
Should he get through the game without a hitch, James will set himself up to also play against the Knicks in Wednesday's regular-season finale and thus play in all 82 games for the first time in his 15-year career.
"We'll see how tonight goes," James said Monday morning. "I've been telling you that for the last four weeks. So my mindset is focus on tonight, and if I come out healthy, I'll be available for Wednesday. That's all that matters for me."
As James gave his answer, he leaned over in his seat on the baseline at Madison Square Garden and rapped his knuckles against the court, literally knocking on wood.
There is more history on the line for James. With a victory Monday, the Cavs will clinch the Central Division title over the Indiana Pacers. It would be James' 10th straight division title -- he won two in the Central with the Cavs in 2009-10 then four straight Southeast Division titles with the Miami Heat, and this would be another four straight in Cleveland -- which is something that's never been done before by any player.
"That's pretty cool," James said when informed of the milestone. "I had no idea about that, but that's pretty cool. To be able to be in a position where you kind of control a division, that's a pretty unique thing to me. I definitely didn't know that."
As for Monday's game against the Knicks, James had little interest in rehashing New York big man Enes Kanter's beef with him.
Back when the Cavs beat the Knicks at the Garden in November, Kanter took a swipe at James after the game, saying, "I don't care who you are. What do you call yourself? King, queen, princess, whatever you are. We're going to fight. Nobody out there is going to punk us."
After the Cavs gave up 148 points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder -- Kanter's former team -- in January, the Knicks center piped up on Twitter again.
"It doesn't matter," James said when asked about the possibility of Kanter playing. "It doesn't matter. I didn't think much of it. It doesn't matter who is in the lineup for them. I'm trying to get our guys healthy, and I think we're getting our point guards back today, so that's what I'm excited about."
Any interaction between the two wouldn't take place on the court, as Kanter has been ruled out because of his back and wrist.
Cavaliers guards George Hill and Jose Calderon are both officially listed as questionable, according to the team. Rodney Hood, who tweaked his Achilles in Philadelphia, is listed as probable.
James was asked if Cleveland's roller-coaster regular season, now mercifully entering its final week, has prepared the Cavs more for a postseason run than a tamer season would have.
"No," James said. "Not really. I really don't need much more. I always talk about how experience is the best teacher in life. I got enough experience. I don't need much more to kind of set me up for what's to come. I know what the playoffs is about. I know what the journey is about. I've been a part of it for so many years. The ups and downs. The great, the bad, the good and ugly and all that and anything in between. Whatever. So I know what it's about, and I know what to expect."