If last night’s loss in LA was any indication, the Cavaliers have to get bigger in the post if they are going to contend with big, athletic, front lines. Now I’m not saying that every team has a front court like the Lakers, with a 7-foot center (Andrew Bynum), a 6’10 power forward (Pau Gasol), and a 6’10 small forward (Lamar Odom). But the Lakers exposed the Cavs lack of depth up front without Zydrunas Ilgauskas. While reports say Z’s foot is progressing better than expected, we all know he is just one awkward move away from serious damage. I think we can all agree that without Big Z, this team is not going to win the NBA Championship as it is currently constructed.

Without Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao has moved into the starting lineup and has played well for the most part, though he has slumped of late. Some would say Varejao’s overall game gets exposed when he plays too many minutes. He is at his best when he is fresh, playing in spurts and in the fourth quarter of close games. Ben Wallace is getting himself back into form after the flu ravaged him for 10 plus pounds. Regardless of how good Ben can be on the defensive end and on the glass, he is still offensively challenged. J.J. Hickson continues to show a little spark offensively and as a shot blocker, but he is still a major work in progress defensively, and never met a shot he didn’t like. Lorenzen Wright is filling in admirably, but he is clearly not the answer, and Darnell Jackson has been buried by Mike Brown. [Read more...]