Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who came off the bench his first 10 games
back after missing the first month recovering from foot surgery, returned to the starting lineup last night against New Jersey. Ilgauskas replaced small forward Lamond Murray, who sat out with a back injury sustained last Saturday against Indiana. Chris Mihm moved from center to power forward and Jumaine Jones from power to small forward. Even when Murray is back, Ilgauskas likely will stay in the starting lineup. ``We want to make a commitment to getting back to the original plan of seeing if him playing with Mihm would work,'' Cavs coach John Lucas said. That means Jones likely will return to the bench. ``I don't mind as long as I'm still getting minutes,'' Jones said. Jones' minutes wouldn't figure to change much since Ilgauskas' minutes won't change with him in the starting lineup He's not allowed to play more than 24 a night. As a starter, Lucas said Ilgauskas will play shorter stints on the floor than he has been. ``It feels good starting again,'' Ilgauskas said. ``But it really doesn't matter. I had fun coming off the bench.'' One reason Lucas wants Ilgauskas back as a starter is he has been getting stiff sitting at the start of games. ``I had to go back (in the training room) and ride a bike to loosen up,'' Ilgauskas said of the Indiana game, when he didn't play in the first half.
MURRAY ON THE MEND -- Murray missed his second game this season due to a back problem. But this one is unrelated to the injury that forced him to miss the Nov. 3 game at Miami. Murray suffered a left back strain when running up the floor. ``He hasn't done a thing yet on the court,'' said Lucas, who isn't sure about Murray's status for tomorrow against New York. At first, Lucas said ``there's a good chance'' he will play. Then Lucas said, ``He may miss Friday and Saturday (at Chicago). I don't know.''
GOODBYE ISSEL -- Lucas was disappointed to see Dan Issel resign yesterday as Denver's head coach after having made an ethnic remark to a fan. ``I'm very saddened,'' Lucas said. ``Dan was a major icon to the Nuggets' organization.'' Lucas was a Denver assistant the previous three seasons. He was under Issel the past two, and Issel was general manager during his first. ``Dan did a lot in getting me back in the game,'' said Lucas, who had sat out two seasons after being fired as Philadelphia's head coach. Lucas soon will call to speak with Issel ``as a friend.''
CAVS CHRISTMAS -- Lucas had his players practice from 9-11 p.m. on Christmas. But some grumbling was lessened because Lucas gave each player a nifty travel kit, which included shaving and manicure supplies. ``It was very nice,'' said guard Bimbo Coles, a 12-year veteran. ``Usually, the team gives you something, but getting something from the coach, this is a first.''