Because of both positive and negative factors, it appears as if this year the team will be passing on the event. Their strong first half plus a series of injuries have limited their options and desires.

Monday left the Cavs dealing with another injury as an MRI revealed starting shooting guard Sasha Pavlovic had suffered the worst of all ankle injuries, the high ankle sprain, and it will keep him out four to six weeks.

With Delonte West and Tarence Kinsey out and the roster spot being occupied by Eric Snow, the team is essentially down four guards at the moment. Another, Trey Johnson, is on a 10-day contract.

Wally Szczerbiak, once their largest trade chip with his $13 million expiring contract, has now become a vital part of the team. He will start in Pavlovic's place in Indianapolis against the Pacers today.

Because of all this, the vibe the rest of the NBA is getting is the Cavs are going to follow through with their plans to stand mostly pat.

"They are going to dance with the girl they brought," one general manager said on Monday. "They believe in that roster."

This echoes the hints the Cavs have been dropping for weeks, but the injury situation seems to nearly cement it. They will continue to make calls, and they are leaving options open. For example, they have postponed an appointment with a league-approved doctor to evaluate Snow's disability retirement claim just in case they want to use him in a trade.

However, with few excess parts and concerns about altering the chemistry, both General Manager Danny Ferry and coach Mike Brown are sending out all kinds of signs they do not intend to make a major deal and likely none at all.

When it came to the topic of picking up another big man, which was highlighted against the Lakers on Sunday, Brown listed off reasons the Cavs would not go in that direction.

"There's only so many minutes for our big guys," Brown said. "If we had another big in here, it would be hard for me to consistently divvy up the minutes, especially if you throw LeBron [James] in that mix."

As for the injury outlook, West took part in practice on Monday but did it with a brace on his right wrist and will not be back until next week at the earliest, and the team is considering keeping him out for another two weeks. Kinsey, also dealing with a bum right ankle, took part in the workout as well but won't be seen in a game until after the All-Star break, either.

"We've just got to keep on keeping on; we've just got to find a way to get it done," Brown said. "We think we're deep, and it's going to continue to have to show."

The test will fall mostly on Szczerbiak's shoulders. He is going to have to continue to log major minutes playing with both the Cavs' starting unit and their small lineup as a forward. Over the past three games in which Pavlovic was able to play just 12 total minutes - with the flu causing him to miss two games - Szczerbiak averaged 39 minutes.

"I've been working at both areas and I'm comfortable with the rotations, and that's important," Szczerbiak said. "On this team, you don't want to be the guy who's not where he should be. Mentally you just have to prepare yourself, and physically you have to fight through it."

Hickson's lesson: There was plenty of blame to go around after the loss to the Lakers, but a heavy dose went rookie J.J. Hickson's way for his struggles dealing with Lamar Odom. Hickson abandoned blocking him out on several key possessions late in the fourth quarter. It was certainly a tough pill to swallow, but Brown is hoping it will turn into a learning experience.

"I thought it was great what he went through," Brown said. "His teammates were upset, he's out there in a game against a good team, and the score is tight, and he didn't get the job done - they're not the ones who are going to say he's only a rookie. They're going to be mad at him, mad at me some for having a rookie out there, and that's OK.

"Hey, [they say], 'You're a grown man, and you get paid good money, and your job is to do this and you better do it."

Erie yo-yo: Darnell Jackson made a quick trip to Erie for his first NBA Development League game Monday. Down to just 10 healthy players without him, Jackson officially will be recalled this morning and on the active roster for the game against the Pacers. The Cavs have the option of sending him to Erie twice more this season.

Another award: The Cavs finally got some welcome news from the league office: James was named Player of the Week for the fifth time this season Monday. He averaged 33.7 points, 9.0 assists and 8.0 rebounds last week including a rather high-profile double double in New York. James has won the honor 18 times in his career.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bwindhorst@plaind.com, 216-999-5166