One of the reasons the Cavaliers drafted center DeSagana Diop in June
was because they couldn't be certain Zydrunas Ilgauskas would return from a foot injury. Now that Ilgauskas is back, Cavs coach John Lucas said it will be difficult to find minutes for Diop. ``DeSagana will play, but his growth will be stunted,'' he said. Lucas said he is considering playing the 7-3 Ilgauskas and the 7-foot Diop together at times. ``With that kind of size, we don't have to be as athletic on the perimeter,'' Lucas said. Diop, who returned last Saturday after missing 15 games with a knee injury, did not play last night against Detroit.
LUCAS LOVES Z -- Lucas said Ilgauskas gives the Cavs a new dimension, but he cautions that his return is ``not the final answer.'' Nevertheless, Cavs players seemed as excited as they have all season before a game. ``We've got an extra pep in our step,'' said guard Ricky Davis said. When healthy, Ilgauskas is one of the NBA's top centers. ```He's so skilled for a big guy,'' Lucas said. ``He can do a lot of things for us. But let's get through this year. It will be a major win to have him play in the rest of the games.'' Lucas anticipates the Cavs will take a ``little bit of a dip`` as they adjust to having Ilgauskas back.

BIG BEN'S BALL -- Detroit center Ben Wallace was shooting free throws with an oversized ball before last night's game. ``Big Ben, big ball,'' said Wallace, who played at Cuyahoga Community College. ``It helps hand strength.'' When asked if he was worried about messing up his shooting, Wallace said, ``Me worry about shooting? All I do is dunk.'' Wallace also rebounds, and is seventh in the NBA with an average of 10.8. He had nine in a game last week in which the Pistons grabbed an NBA record-low 18 boards. ``I had half of them,'' Wallace said. ``But that's one of those things that happens.''

NOTABLE -- Ilguaskas initially was not expected to return until mid-December. But General Manager Jim Paxson said the early return had nothing to do with the Cavs learning late last week that center Michael Doleac would be out for at least five weeks due to a fracture in his foot. ``If it did, we would have activated him Saturday, said ,'' Paxson said. . . . Davis says he wears a new headband each game. . . . The Cavs are fourth in the NBA in 3-point percentage (37.8), but they're 28th in defensive 3-point percentage (41.7).