Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless are both pushing the panic button after it was learned LeBron James is dealing with back issues in the preseason. (1:15)

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers played their preseason finale without LeBron James in the lineup Monday. However, Cavs coach David Blatt is sure his team's star will be on the court when the regular season tips off.

"I would say he will absolutely be ready for the season opener," Blatt said of Cleveland's game against Chicago on Oct. 27. "Absolutely."

James, who turns 31 in December, played in only two of the Cavs' seven preseason games. He averaged 11.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals in 24.1 minutes per game while shooting 32.1 percent from the field.

The 13-year veteran missed the Cavs' final three preseason games after receiving an anti-inflammatory injection in his back last week.

Blatt said James worked out Monday prior to Cleveland's 103-97 win over the Dallas Mavericks, but the coach deemed it unnecessary to have James play. The team was weighing the benefit of having James play a preseason game with Kevin Love, who made his preseason debut Sunday after sitting out the first five exhibition games while he continued to rehab his surgically repaired left shoulder. Ultimately, the Cavaliers decided against it.

LeBron James, who had an anti-inflammatory injection in his back last week and has played in just two preseason games, will be part of David Blatt's lineup for the Cavs' season opener Oct. 27. Harry How/Getty Images

The Cavs will have a full week off between the preseason finale and regular-season opener, and James is expected to be available for practice, as the team will look to get some reps with James and Love sharing the court in scrimmages.

While James is coming off five straight trips to the NBA Finals and has played the most minutes of any player in the past five seasons, by a wide margin, Blatt said his four-time MVP still has youth on his side.

"I would hesitate to put Bron in the category of an advanced-age player," Blatt said. "He's not. He is in terms of the number of games he's played or given the fact that he's constantly deep into the playoffs and his greatness helps his team achieve those levels.

"But LeBron's in pretty good shape, and he's done pretty well so far, and we will of course constantly consider what his physical state is," Blatt said. "But I don't think we have to go overboard. I mean, that guy is a great, great basketball player, and he's also proved to be durable and ready to play."