CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tristan Thompson has learned countless lessons from LeBron James since becoming his teammate nearly four years ago.

There are two in particular that Thompson still clings to, able to recite specific details of those interactions.

The first is about never losing sight of the big picture, focusing instead on peaking going into the postseason. In more blunt words, the regular season doesn't matter when winning a championship is the goal. The other is about the importance of taking care of his body and spending extra time in the weight room to prevent injuries.

"I think it was my first year I sprained my ankle and I missed three games. Then I came back for one game, stepped on Chris Wilcox's ankle and missed another three games," Thompson said.

"We were playing Miami and he told me, because I've known him for a while, 'If you stay in the weight room, take care of your body, that armor, you're going to need that. That'll keep you from getting hurt.' I always took that serious. When the best player in the world gives you that kind of advice that the weight room helps you keep you stronger and prevents you from getting injured, you take it and run with it.

"That's what I've been doing ever since he told me that my first year. He might not remember, but I remember it like it was yesterday. He had no shirt on in the weight room with a do-rag on. With Mike Mancias."

Prior to this season, Thompson was known as Cleveland's ironman. He took pride in his availability, an impressive streak of health that extended back to when he first started playing organized basketball.

This year has been a challenge, a season of frustration, as Thompson has missed 29 games with a pair of nagging injuries. All of that now seems to be in the past. The energetic big man is showing signs of once again rounding into his old form. Right in time for the playoffs. Just as James once preached.

"He played like the Tristan of old I thought, in going after every rebound," Larry Drew said. "Had a big blocked shot, I can't remember who it was against, but it was a big shot. The guy was wide open, he came in and blocked it. TT did a phenomenal job that second half."

During Friday night's 107-102 win against the New Orleans Pelicans, Thompson finished with four points to go with a season-high 14 rebounds, including six on the offensive end, and one block in 21 minutes.

Since coming back from his ankle injury, one that sidelined him for nine games, Thompson has pulled down double-digit boards in four of five games.

"I think it's just that time of year where guys prepare for postseason and in the postseason you've got to play your role and do your job and do what your role is on that team," Thompson said. "For me me that's bring energy and effort. It's around that time. So that's why I'm doing that."

The Cavs needed a jolt Friday night, especially after a sluggish first half. They got it from Thompson, who was at the center of two pivotal runs, both of which helped fuel Cleveland's come-from-behind win.

With the Cavs trailing by seven points with 3:29 remaining in the third quarter and the pick-and-roll defense getting shredded, Drew called for Thompson to replace Kevin Love. With the help of a few defensive stops and a couple menacing screens from Thompson to free up Jordan Clarkson for pull-up jumpers, the Cavs finished the quarter on a 13-5 run, taking a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

Then, about 90 seconds into the final period, Love picked up his fifth foul with the Cavs facing a two-point deficit.

That's when Drew had a choice to make. Larry Nance Jr. or Thompson? The stand-in leader opted for Thompson and Cleveland outscored the Pelicans by seven points the rest of the way.

"He's guarded Anthony Davis before and he's actually done, I think, a good job against him," Drew said of Thompson. "That was a matchup that we wanted to take a look at. I didn't think the bench guys, that first half, I didn't think that they brought a lot of energy in that second quarter. We talked about it at halftime; they did a much better job the second half.

"When I put Tristan in there, I thought he did a really good job just with the AD matchup and then it allowed us, put us in a position where we could do some switching. And we'll switch Tristan out on a guard and we'll take our chances with it, but he really played really well."

Thompson's swarming defense against New Orleans' MVP candidate was perhaps the most significant development of the night.

Statistically, the Cavaliers have been worse this season with Thompson on the floor, having a 114.8 defensive of rating compared to the 111.2 with him off the floor. But on Friday, he helped limit Davis to 16 points on 6-of-19 from the field. In the decisive fourth quarter, Davis scored just two points, missing three of his four shots.

"(Davis has) been a force, especially since Boogie (DeMarcus Cousins) went down. For him to shoot that percentage and for us to force them into tough shots, especially down the stretch, Tristan did a great job," Love said. "Have to tip your hat to him. He's our workhorse and always has been."

When Thompson sprained his ankle recently, he decided to give up carbs. Every now and then he will eat a cup of rice, but with the playoffs inching closer, it's time to buckle down. After spending extra time in the training room following the win, Thompson emerged and walked confidently to his locker. Then he downed a green recovery smoothie, part of his postgame regimen.

"My body is in great shape. It's up there with the best of them," Thompson said with a smile. "You can ask Derek Millender our trainer what the body fat looks like. He can let you know. My body, my armor is in top shape right now. Honestly it's frustrating having the two injuries during the season. I've never experienced that in my career. It's definitely frustrating. But it was a good learning tool and I guess I had to pay the basketball gods back on my taxes."

Often criticized throughout the season, with questions being raised about his effectiveness and whether he should be part of the tight postseason rotation, Thompson sent a reminder of his value, showing some of that old form that made him such a key piece of Cleveland's 2016 NBA title run.

"The same fans that want to rip you up are the same fans that want to talk you up and want your autograph," Thompson said. "I'm not worried about that. At the end of the day, I'm doing what I've been doing since I've been here. If you didn't like me then, you probably won't like me now because ain't much changed.

"This team knows what I bring to the table so if you don't like me, it's cool. I still love you."