Thursday, February 18, 2010

Leon Powe Making Cavs Debut?





By BOB FINNAN
rfinnan@MorningJournal.com

INDEPENDENCE — Cavaliers forward Leon Powe was forced to “go in the shop” for a few months.

He sustained an ACL and microfracture injury on his left knee in the playoffs last year in Boston.

Powe, who signed with the Cavs in the offseason, has been inactive for the first 54 games of the regular season.

He’s nearing a return to the court. It could happen against Denver tonight, but Cavs coach Mike Brown said Powe has yet to get the medical clearance to play.

“I had to go in the shop,” Powe said. “I know how hard I worked, and I knew the hard work was going to pay off sooner or later. Hopefully, it’s about that time.”

The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Powe will have to fight for minutes at power forward with newly acquired Antawn Jamison, J.J Hickson and Anderson Varejao.

“I feel like I could play,” Powe said. “I feel real good. I’ve felt good for the last month, actually, but they’ve been extra conservative with me. Now, they have to communicate with each other and see what they want to do.”

Powe said he’ll wear a knee brace in the games when he returns.

He’s not the only player close to returning to the court. Point guard Mo Williams has missed the last 11 games with a sprained left shoulder. He practiced with the Cavs Wednesday, but isn’t expected to face the Nuggets either.

“(I) didn’t have a good practice today,” Williams said on his Twitter account. “(I’m) a (little) rusty. (It’s going to) take me a few days.”

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