INDEPENDENCE: The Cavaliers have invested millions of dollars in preventative maintenance.

It includes all sorts of different pieces of equipment in their new practice facility to a small army of support personnel all the way to a hot tub the size of a studio apartment. But there's a new tactic being used in this new season, one more of philosophy than machinery.

Now in his fourth season, Cavs coach Mike Brown opened the first two practices Tuesday by showing some new restraint. Once known for his marathon practice and shootaround sessions, he is attempting to think long-term and be concerned about some aging and overworked bodies on his team.

Brown is revamping the way he's conducting practices with an eye toward keeping legs, arms and backs fresh.

''I am going to try and be more efficient this season,'' Brown said. ''As a coach, you always want to be learning and implementing new things and that is something we're trying to do.''

To that end, even though the team will be gathering for two-a-day workouts for the first 10 days of training camp, Brown will only be allowing contact in one practice per day. Players will not even get their ankles taped for some of the workouts with a focus on play sets and learning concepts instead of hardcore drills and scrimmaging.

Brown has also decided he will hold LeBron James, who is coming off a demanding summer with Team USA, out of virtually all contact work during the season's first week.

In addition, veteran Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Ben Wallace will likely get some practices totally off, as Brown looks to not overwork them.

Both Ilgauskas and Wallace had back injuries that limited them at the end of last season. Ilgauskas has developed a disc problem in his lower
back and spent several weeks in August working with a back specialist in Vancouver.

''I focused on building strength in my core and learned some new techniques and exercises to try and avoid any problems,'' Ilgauskas said.

''One of the team's physical therapists came out there with me so we could bring the ideas back here and the team bought some new equipment to help me.''

Wallace experienced a back strain shortly after coming to the Cavs in a trade in February and dealt with spasms on and off. It greatly affected his mobility, which is perhaps his greatest asset as a defender.

''We did a lot of work in the offseason to try and make it stronger,'' Wallace said. ''You try not to overdo it but also not under-do it, you have to pay attention to it and keep the trainers informed what is happening with it.''

Dribbles

Eric Snow reported for a physical Monday but will not be with the team during training camp due to chronic left-knee issues. The Cavs have applied for a disability claim, but Snow, who last played Feb. 22, needs to miss 14 more games this season to reach a threshold in the process. . . . Cavs assistant coach Melvin Hunt is on the sidelines right now after breaking his left leg in a church-league game. . . . Former Cav Damon Jones, traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Mo Williams deal, will not report to the Bucks this season and wait for a trade or release. . . . Two coaches from the Cavs' new D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, are at camp. BayHawks owner Steve Demetriou is close with Brown and probably familiar to fans, because he owns season tickets in the front row a few inches from where Brown sits and stands during home games. Said Brown: ''There are two guys out there that know my rear end as well as my wife. That's Steve and (radio voice) Joe Tait; they have a clear view of it at all times.''