The highlight tapes are reserved for those who attack the rim, guys like high-flying Ricky Davis. They are reserved for those who hit the fallaway 18-footers, the Lamond Murrays of the NBA.

Someone has to do the dirty work, though, and Skinner has recently done plenty of it for the re surgent Cavaliers. "I look at myself as an old-fashioned power forward," said Skinner, a 6-9, 265-pounder from Baylor. "I hustle. I chase down loose balls.

"I do whatever it takes to help win games."

Skinner's play over the last four games have had as much to do with the Cavaliers winning three as anyone. Coming off the bench in relief of starter Jumaine Jones, Skinner has 26 rebounds, 17 points, 12 blocked shots and two turnovers in 111 minutes of the last four games.

In Tuesday night's 94-75 victory over the Washington Wizards, he contributed seven rebounds, three blocked shots, two points and no turnovers in 31 minutes. In 15 games, all off the bench, he has four double-figure rebounding efforts.

Despite ranking seventh in minutes (20.2 a game), Skinner is the team's second-leading shot-blocker (1.33) and its fifth-leading rebounder (5.1).