Thunder Dan
04-06-2009, 06:29 PM
INDEPENDENCE -- Anderson Varejao didn't seem all that worried about his sore wrist on Monday, he came skipping out to the end of the Cavaliers practice to show off a brand new tattoo across the top of his back.
It read: "Chosen 2."
So it was temporary, looked like magic marker in fact, but it certainly drew quite a few laughs from teammates. Within minutes, Varejao and LeBron James with his "Chosen 1" tattoo were posing for cell phone pictures.
The mood was rather light-hearted because the team got some good news about their injured big men. An MRI on Varejao's right wrist showed no structural damage. Following X-rays Sunday that showed no break, the Cavs are relieved that the injury is not serious.Varejao -- who missed his first game of the season against the Spurs -- is currently listed as day-to-day. But with treatment over the next few days there is hope he could return to the lineup when the Cavs host the Wizards on Wednesday.
He may not be the only one coming back.
Ben Wallace took full part in Monday's practice and played some 5-on-5 pickup after the workout. He has been cleared to return to contact for Tuesday, when the team will have a full-scale practice.
The team has upgraded him from out -- which he has been for nearly six weeks following breaking his right fibula on Feb. 26 in Houston -- to questionable. The team will see how he feels Wednesday morning after the hard practice and could upgrade him further to probable at that time.
"It feels pretty good, I've got most of my strength back and that was one of the biggest things," Wallace said. "I've just got to trust I can go out and [play]. It might hurt a little bit but I don't think it'll kill me."
Wallace will not return to the starting lineup at first and he may not even play in all five games left in the regular season. He's more focused on working off some of the rust and testing out the leg -- he'd never broken a bone in his life -- to see how it feels so he has a better idea of where he's at physically going into the playoffs.
After missing some time with cuts on his right arm after going through a car window, Wallace has only played four games since the All-Star break.
Coach Mike Brown is taking his usual position on the injury, though. Ever since he was ready to put Larry Hughes back in the starting lineup in 2006 only to learn Hughes needed a second surgery on his hand and was out two more months, he's refused to look ahead.
"It scarred me deeper than what I thought," Brown said of the Hughes experience. "From that point on, I don't need to know a target date on anybody. When a guy can practice, we'll go from there."
It read: "Chosen 2."
So it was temporary, looked like magic marker in fact, but it certainly drew quite a few laughs from teammates. Within minutes, Varejao and LeBron James with his "Chosen 1" tattoo were posing for cell phone pictures.
The mood was rather light-hearted because the team got some good news about their injured big men. An MRI on Varejao's right wrist showed no structural damage. Following X-rays Sunday that showed no break, the Cavs are relieved that the injury is not serious.Varejao -- who missed his first game of the season against the Spurs -- is currently listed as day-to-day. But with treatment over the next few days there is hope he could return to the lineup when the Cavs host the Wizards on Wednesday.
He may not be the only one coming back.
Ben Wallace took full part in Monday's practice and played some 5-on-5 pickup after the workout. He has been cleared to return to contact for Tuesday, when the team will have a full-scale practice.
The team has upgraded him from out -- which he has been for nearly six weeks following breaking his right fibula on Feb. 26 in Houston -- to questionable. The team will see how he feels Wednesday morning after the hard practice and could upgrade him further to probable at that time.
"It feels pretty good, I've got most of my strength back and that was one of the biggest things," Wallace said. "I've just got to trust I can go out and [play]. It might hurt a little bit but I don't think it'll kill me."
Wallace will not return to the starting lineup at first and he may not even play in all five games left in the regular season. He's more focused on working off some of the rust and testing out the leg -- he'd never broken a bone in his life -- to see how it feels so he has a better idea of where he's at physically going into the playoffs.
After missing some time with cuts on his right arm after going through a car window, Wallace has only played four games since the All-Star break.
Coach Mike Brown is taking his usual position on the injury, though. Ever since he was ready to put Larry Hughes back in the starting lineup in 2006 only to learn Hughes needed a second surgery on his hand and was out two more months, he's refused to look ahead.
"It scarred me deeper than what I thought," Brown said of the Hughes experience. "From that point on, I don't need to know a target date on anybody. When a guy can practice, we'll go from there."