BOSTON -- LeBron James is sick after all.

James spoke with obvious nasal congestion at shootaround this morning, ahead of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals in Boston. A win would send the Cavs to the Finals for the third straight season and would mark James' seventh consecutive Finals berth.

As you may recall, James didn't play his best game Sunday in Game 3 (actually, he was historically bad for him, scoring just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting in a 111-108 loss).

After Game 4 -- a much better game for James, as he scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter of a 112-99 win -- teammate Richard Jefferson suggested James was under the weather the previous game.

"I know he won't talk about it, so I'll give my big guy a shout," Jefferson said on Fox Sports Ohio. "Deron Williams missed shootaround this morning, because he had like a little bug--just really lethargic, had no energy--and I think that's what 'Bron had."

James, of course, is playing tonight. It will be his 212th playoff start, and he's never missed a postseason game.

For what it's worth, James sounds worse today than he has all week. According to NBA.com, James' average speed in Game 3 was 3.63 miles per hour -- the second slowest he has moved on the court this entire postseason. In Game 4 he moved at 3.75 miles per hour, though he played the entire second half with four fouls.

James needs just 28 points to pass Michael Jordan as the NBA's all-time scoring leader in the postseason.

A win tonight would be the Cavs' 13th consecutive victory in a closeout game, which would break the record they currently share with the Lakers (2000-04).