Miami - Tonight's game against Indiana marks the ninth time the Cavs will play on back-to-back nights this season.

The Cavs and Detroit Pistons are scheduled to play back-to-back games on a league-high 23 occasions. Five other teams will finish the season with 22 back-to-backs. Memphis has the least amount of back-to-back games with 15.

Cavs coach John Lucas wondered out loud what the schedule makers were trying to prove.

"In the NFL, the teams with the worst records the previous year get an easier schedule the next season," Lucas said. "They need to do that for basketball."

Since that hasn't happened, Cavs guard Bimbo Coles said there's only two things to do in preparation for consecutive games: "Get plenty of rest and just go out and play."

Eager for "Ali":

Cavs assistant coach Jerry Eaves will be the first in line to see "Ali," a movie about heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali, when it opens nationwide on Christmas Day. The movie stars Will Smith.

Eaves and Ali are natives of Louisville, Ky.

"I grew up idolizing Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali all of my life," Eaves said. "I have the same anticipation to see this movie as I did when 'The Greatest' came out during the '70s. He's the most known personality out of Louisville and the most recognized man in the world."

Little-known facts:

According to Harvey Pollack's NBA statistical yearbook, Jumaine Jones made the last field goal of the 1990s in the NBA in a game at Portland on Dec. 30, 1999, for Philadelphia. With 3.6 seconds left, Jones took a pass from Eric Snow and hit a 26-foot jump shot to make the final score Portland 108, 76ers 90.

Free throws:

The Cavs are third in the league in free-throw shooting at 79.5 percent. "I'm glad about our free-throw shooting because we're not as talented as most of the teams," Lucas said.

Back in the game:

The Cavs decided not to re-sign Jimmy Jackson during the off-season and he didn't return to the NBA until Dec. 2, when he signed with the Miami Heat. While waiting for the right team, Jackson worked out and tended to his residential and commercial development company.

"I remained optimistic because I knew something would pop up eventually," Jackson said. "I didn't have time to worry about signing with a team because I remained busy with the day-to-day task of my business. I'm glad I'm here with a veteran team and an experienced coach, and I have no animosity about not re-signing with Cleveland."