Cavs’ Waiters expected to return for Spurs game

Akron Beacon Journal

INDEPENDENCE

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered March chasing their first playoff berth in four years. Now they’re going to get a little extra help just in time.

Dion Waiters expects to play tonight when the Cavs host the San Antonio Spurs. There is also a small chance Anderson Varejao plays, although that seems unlikely. Varejao, however, is clearly feeling better and could return Friday in time for Al Jefferson and the Charlotte Bobcats.

The return of Waiters will help bolster the Cavs’ second unit while easing some of the minutes the starters have been forced to play. The Cavs begin the week 31/2 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth seed in the East.

“When we get everybody back and everybody healthy, I think we can make a great playoff run,” Waiters said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things.

“When we’re healthy, we’re one of the best teams out there. We’ve been playing great basketball lately; we’ve just got to keep it up.”

Waiters doesn’t have many pleasant memories about the Spurs. The Cavs were embarrassed during a 30-point loss in San Antonio in March, which followed the Spurs’ last-second win last season at Quicken Loans Arena.

Waiters temporarily appeared to hit the game-winning basket in the closing seconds, but then he lost Kawhi Leonard on defense and Leonard made the corner 3-pointer to win the game. Waiters didn’t forget.

“That’s not going to happen again,” Waiters said. “Took my moment away.”

Waiters missed seven games with a knee injury and is the first of the Cavs’ injured trio to return. C.J. Miles is still out with a sprained ankle and said he hopes to be ready to play by the start of the Cavs’ West Coast trip on March 12.

Waiters participated in all of Monday’s practice, and Varejao participated in about half of it.