Ben Wallace Injury May Be Good News for Cavs

I have nothing against Big Ben. He knows his role on this team and performs it to the best of his ability.  But his leg injury may well be a good thing.  Reports have him out four to six weeks, meaning he will be due back in mid-April, right about playoff time.

My first thoughts when I heard about the injury were disheartening.  I began to wonder if Ferry should have pulled off that alleged trade for Shaquille O'Neal after all.  The front line was already thin before Big Ben went down in Houston.  Where are the Cavs going to go to now for big bodies?

As my prayers for Joe Smith are falling on deaf ears (God must be a Celtics fan) and just about out of time, I come to the realization that the help will have to come from within.  Obviously, Anderson Varejao will step up to the starting power forward position and we know what he brings to the table with his hustle and offensive rebounding, but his offensive skills are limited. But let's be real, Wallace is no offensive threat himself.  As a matter of fact, Andy may be an upgrade offensively.

In addition to Wild Thang, the support needs to come from young JJ Hickson.  He has shown flashes of success, but also has made rookie mistakes as well.  It has been a luxury that he has been able to play as much as he has so far this season.  It may pay off during this stretch.  Also, it may help his development to get him out there and play under some more pressure.  Many fans love this guy and feel he is the future for us.  The future may be now.

What Wallace brought to the table was his defensive presence.  He weak-side defense was strong.  But other than that there isn't much else that needs to be replaced. Mike Brown has received a good bit of credit for the tough defense the Cavs have played all season.  He is a defensive minded coach.  So if there is any truth to this reputation and credit, he should be able to game plan his way to maintain the defensive success the Cavs have had thus far.

Another possibility is to play LeBron at the 4 more and rotate other guys like Wally Szczerbiak at the 3.  I am not sure I like that lineup, but on some nights, it may work. James at the 4 doesn't bother me with his athleticism and improved defense as much as forcing Wally to handle small forwards.  His defense isn't exactly the strongest aspect of his game.

Don't forget my man Darnell Jackson, the rookie from Kansas.  He may get more minutes off the bench as the domino effect creates an opportunity for him to play.  I like his size and toughness.  I would like to see what he can bring to the game.  If he has to play big minutes, we may be in trouble, Cavs Nation.  If he can get more spot time and help speed his development, it may be an investment for the future.  He will be able to perform better in the future if he has some game-time experience to draw upon.

So, there are several positives that may come from this injury.  When the playoffs commence, the Cavs will need all hands on deck without a doubt.  But in the meantime, this may provide an opportunity to give some others a chance to step up and even get some more offense infused in that starting lineup.