Larry Hughes has already missed seven games with a high ankle sprain and said he's still not ready to return to practice.

''Every day I'm feeling better and better,'' Hughes said before the New York game. ''I'm just trying to stay on the right path. I don't expect to be out much longer.

''At this point, I'm not comfortable to run full speed,'' Hughes said. ''My game is (predicated) on quickness. This year I've been guarding point guards. I'd put myself at a disadvantage if I don't have my quickness.''

LeBron James doesn't understand why the Bulls are making such a big fuss about a headband.

"I know Ben Wallace has been wearing a headband for long time. I have worn a headband for a long time, probably from when I was 13 years old until now," James said.

"It is a routine. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't wear one. If it is something you have been doing your whole life -- it doesn't matter what field you're in, athletics or the business side -- if someone comes and tells you to switch your routine up, it is going to mess up your work.

"I'd be upset if they had some rule about it here. I don't know why it is such a problem," James said. "It's not disrespecting anybody, it's not thinking you're bigger than anyone on the team. Hey, certain people must have their own rules."

LeBron James met with billionaire Warren Buffett this summer in Nebraska.

Last week, Buffett's firm, Berkshire Hathaway, announced in an SEC filing that it had recently purchased 1.5 million shares of Nike stock, which increased the value of the comany's stock.

``Nah, I didn't tell him to do that,'' said James, Nike's $90 million man. ``But it was a good idea.''

``I just really admire him a lot, everything he's made for himself,'' said James. ``One of the things he told me was that even when he's sleeping, he's making money.''

A sprained ankle will sideline Larry Hughes for two, possibly four more games.

"We're not in any rush to get him back right now," Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown said. "We want to make sure we handle this the right way."

He was injured last Wednesday versus Portland.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named today as the NBA?s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, November 13 through Sunday, November 19.

In four games during the week, James led the Cavaliers to a 3-1 record by averaging 29.5 points on .513 shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists.  He ranked second among Eastern Conference players in total points (118) and third in scoring average.  James has now won the award nine times in his career. (Once this season, five times last season and on three occassions during the 2004-05 campaign.)

He led or tied for the team lead in scoring in each of the four games during the week and scored at least 29 points in each of the Cavaliers? three wins.  He scored 22 of his game-high 32 points in the second half against Portland on Nov. 15 and posted 37 points, nine rebounds and six assists in Cleveland?s win over Minnesota on Nov. 17.  Cleveland?s 7-3 record this season puts them in a tie atop the Eastern Conference standings with the Orlando Magic.

The Dallas Mavericks? Dirk Nowitzki was named the Western Conference Player of the Week.

Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes is expected to miss the next two games, and possibly more, after spraining his right ankle in the club's win against Portland on Wednesday.

Hughes, who was sidelined for 45 games last season with a broken finger that required two surgeries, got hurt while scrambling for a loose ball. Hughes got his leg tangled under Blazers forward Martell Webster, who fell on him from behind.

Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes bruised his right leg and had to leave Wednesday night's game against the Trail Blazers.

Hughes tried to make a steal from Martell Webster and got tangled up going for the loose ball, bruising his leg.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas has been asked to play higher in an offense that stresses motion and setting picks.

The new offense has resulted in early struggles for the center, as he is averaging 7.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 37 percent shooting from the field.

Coach Mike Brown installed the offense in order to take pressure off of LeBron James.

The moods in both the Knicks and Cavaliers locker rooms accurately matched what just transpired on the floor on a night when the soul of Reggie Miller took the body of Damon Jones ? for a half.

Jones scored 24 of his 29 points in the first half, as he lit up the Knicks for 6 of 7 shooting from 3-point territory during those initial 24 minutes.

LeBron James also scored 29, though in a far quieter and more subtle manner than Jones.  The perimeter shooting of Jones freed up James and Larry Hughes to be at their most effective, which is when they can outplay the opposing wings with their superior all-around play.

?We?re getting better in spurts,? said Stephon Marbury.  ?In order for us to get to where we want to be we need to do it for 48 minutes.?

Leading the comeback charge for the Knicks wasn?t Marbury though, but Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford.  Robinson made the improbable look easy time after time, shooting 9-10 from the field.  With Marbury and Steve Francis combining to go 1-10 from the floor, it is clear that the younger guards are beginning to surpass the elders as the scorers the Knicks need to lean on.

?I?m probably being too laid back,? added Marbury.  ?I?m trying to do something that I?ve never done before.

?I believe in what Isiah is trying to do.?

LeBron James was widely criticized on sports talk radio and by TV pundits for leaving the floor in the final seconds Tuesday night in a 104-95 overtime loss to Atlanta. After missing a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left, he began walking off the floor toward Cleveland's locker room while the Hawks dribbled out the clock.

James stopped near the baseline by Cleveland's bench and watched until the final horn sounded.

Some compared James to wide receiver Randy Moss, who left the field before a game was over for Minnesota.

"It's not like I walked off the court and came to the locker room while there was still time left on the clock," he said. "I stood on the court the whole time, until the buzzer's end, I even said something to [Hawks guard] Joe Johnson on his way out.

"It was kind of frustrating for us to lose that game, but as far as quitting on my team or anything like that, it's crazy. If we would have won the game, it would have never been mentioned. Say if we was winning the game and I did the same thing. Would it have been mentioned? I don't think so."