Tristan Thompson Injures Mouth During Cavaliers vs. Lakers

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson suffered a mouth injury following a collision with Julius Randle Sunday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin reported.

Durability has been one of Thompson's greatest strengths since the Cavaliers selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft. After playing in 60 of Cleveland's 66 games as a rookie, he didn't miss a single game over the next four seasons.

While he'll never score consistently at a high volume, Thompson more than proves his worth with his rebounding and defense. He averaged 10.3 points and 10.1 rebounds in last year's NBA Finals—production that was vital in helping the Cavaliers upset the Golden State Warriors.

LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are the Cavs' three biggest stars, but Thompson is an irreplaceable member of the rotation nonetheless.

Should he have to miss any time, head coach Tyronn Lue would likely start Channing Frye at center. The Cavaliers also signed Larry Sanders before sending him to play with the Canton Charge in the NBA Development League. He could be an option to provide frontcourt depth if push comes to shove.