Heat’s James stops wearing mask

Miami Heat forward LeBron James on Sunday ditched the mask he has been wearing to protect his broken nose, though he did not have medical clearance to do so.

James said before Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls that the mask is uncomfortable and that he would not wear it.

James wore the mask for four games and removed it in the first quarter of Thursday night’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He made just six of 18 shots turned the ball over five times.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that James was supposed to wear the mask for another week.

James broke his nose Feb. 20 when he was inadvertently hit in the face by Thunder center Serge Ibaka while James was driving to the basket.

After missing one game, James returned wearing a black mask that the NBA later made him replace with a clear one.