Pregame: Spurs at Cavs

View More Photos >>

San Antonio Spurs (49-11) at Cleveland Cavaliers (11-48)
Time: 7 p.m.; Venue: The Q; TV/Radio: FS Ohio/WAKR

Cavs probables: PG Ramon Sessions, SG Anthony Parker, SF Alonzo Gee, PF Samardo Samuels, C J.J. Hickson
Spurs probables: PG George Hill, SG Manu Ginobili, SF Richard Jefferson, PF Tim Duncan, C DeJuan Blair
Officials: Ed Malloy, Tony Brothers, Haywoode Workman
Injury report: Cavs -- Antawn Jamison (finger) out, Anderson Varejao (ankle) out, Semih Erden (shoulder/groin) out, Baron Davis (knee) doubtful; Spurs -- None.
By the numbers: J.J. Hickson has grabbed at least 15 rebounds in eight of his last 19 games. He has seven double-doubles in his last eight. Since the start of February, point guard Ramon Sessions is averaging 19.9 points and 8.8 assists. San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, shooting 49 percent this season, is shooting 39 percent in his last two games (7 of 18). DeJuan Blair is shooting 71 percent (15 of 21) in his last three games.

Notes
* Alonzo Gee will start at small forward tonight in place of Christian Eyenga because coach Byron Scott doesn't like the way Eyenga gets lost on defense when his man doesn't have the ball. Eyenga is a terrific defender when he's on the ball, but he's getting lost on the weak side. Gee is much better, Scott said. Ironically, Gee said a big reason for that was his time with the San Antonio Spurs.

* Gee is a little juiced to play the Spurs tonight. He was with them last season and again early this season, which tells you maybe there is a little something there. The Spurs are the best team in the league.

* Say what you will about Antawn Jamison's defensive liabilities, but at least he was a good communicator. For most of the season, coach Byron Scott praised Jamison's ability to talk on defense and wished some of his teammates would follow suit. Now they have no choice. Scott conceded Tuesday after practice he was concerned with the defense now in the frontcourt and is anxious to see who, if anyone, will become the communicator that Jamison was.

* I'm not sure if this is a credit to Baron Davis or an indictment on the rest of the Cavs, but Scott called Davis the best communicator on defense during Tuesday's practice -- his first official practice with the Cavs.

* This will be the Spurs' second game without Tony Parker. The first didn't go so well. They were drilled Tuesday night at Memphis 109-93. They failed to put a starter in double figures and turned it over 22 times. George Hill will continue to start for the Spurs in place of Parker, who could miss a month with a strained calf.

* Tuesday’s lineup, without Tony Parker, was just the second time this season the Spurs started a lineup other than Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Tim Duncan and DeJuan Blair.

* Scott has seen enough of Samuels to declare he can play in this league for the next decade. Whether or not it's with the Cavs remains to be seen. Scott loves the progress he's seen out of Samuels from camp until now, but with four draft picks this summer and free agency looming, he's not committing to Samuels being back next year.