Ilgauskas
Ilgauskas’ back pain had been worsening before he took the time off. It is more of a group decision to deal with the injury now, when there is time before the postseason.1
ATLANTA — When Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas looks in the mirror, he could very well see the reflection of Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets’ 7-5 All-Star rookie sensation from China. Ilgauskas, a native of Lithuania, is one of the NBA’s growing number of international players.2
was drafted 20th overall by the Cavaliers in 1996. Ilgauskas quickly made his mark both as a very good center, but also as being spectacularly injury-prone due to foot troubles in his early seasons.3
But the back issues are part of the reason Ilgauskas struggled in back-to-back games in the past several seasons. Now he’s got a bulging disc and he’s treating it and crossing his fingers that rest and painkillers will improve it enough to get back on the court.4
Messages seeking comment were left on Ilgauskas’ cell phone and at Rudoy’s office by The Associated Press on Monday night. The deal can’t become official until the free-agent signing period begins on July 22.5
Moments after the Cavaliers hosted the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 11, Ilgauskas’s wife, Jennifer, went into premature labor and was taken to an emergency room. Three days after being hospitalized, she delivered stillborn twins, a boy and a girl.6
The sharp wit always has been a part of Ilgauskas’ repertoire, as has a consistent low-post game, an accurate 15-foot jumper on pick-and-rolls and a solid presence on the boards. But in this series against Washington, like the one last season, double doubles have become expected, even against the 7-foot Wizard Haywood’s long-armed defense.7