CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith left Game 2 of the Cavs' first-round series against the Indiana Pacers at halftime Monday because of a left hamstring injury and did not return.
After the game, a 117-111 Cavs win, Smith said he did not require an MRI and he hopes to play in Game 3.
"If they let me play, I'll play," he said. "My leg ain't broke."
Iman Shumpert, who did not play in the Cavs' 109-108 Game 1 win, started the second half in Smith's place. Smith praised Shumpert for filling in and said his second-half play was "great."
"He did a helluva job on the defensive end, came in and made a big shot for us," Smith said. "He did what he was supposed to do."
Smith finished with three points on 1-for-3 shooting and one turnover in 19 minutes, while Shumpert had five points in 20 minutes.
Smith said he wanted to go back into Monday's game, but the team held him out.
"I wanted to play. They didn't want me to play," he said as he walked out of the arena without a noticeable limp.
Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said pulling Smith out before the start of the third quarter was a "smart thing for him."
"Not knowing if he was going to get a chance to go. Our trainer Steve said it's not a smart thing for him to try it, so we sat him out and he was kind of mad about it," Lue said. "When you get in the playoffs you want to compete and he's been doing a great job. We understand that, but we've got to be smart also."
The Cavaliers hold a 2-0 series lead, with Game 3 set for Thursday night in Cleveland.
