Maybe it is all about a certain 7-3 center with bad feet. The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked the NBA with their 15-9 start last November, which led the Central division. That's 24 games; that certain Lithuanian center played in how many games? Oh, 24. Maybe there's something to getting this guy healthy...

	Point guard Miller is nearing All-Star status for the Cavs.

So as we continue our 2001 Summer Spotlight Series, here's the deal with the Cavs.

The good: You'd think that Zydrunas Ilgauskas was Lew Alcindor or something. But it's pretty clear that the center in question -- who remains a question -- is critical to the Cavs' plight. First, a short recap: Drafted 20th overall in 1996 by Cleveland, Ilgauskas missed his first year with a broken right foot. Then he played every game in '97-98, averaging 13.9 points and 8.8 rebounds and made the All-Rookie team. Since then? Five games the next season (left foot), zero in '99-2000 (left foot again) and 24 last season (another break of left foot). If you're counting, that's 111 games in five seasons, not a large total.

As for now, the proposed man in the middle is working out and rehabbing, and he and the team are cautiously optimistic that he can practice when training camps open in October. If you're a Cavs fan, you'd better hope the agony of da feet ends.

The Cavs won 47 games the year Ilgauskas played all season, but have won no more than 32 games since. Other than point guard Andre Miller, who looks like a future star, one can see why.

In Miller, the Cavs have a mature floor leader who can score, pass and defend. He topped his rookie year in each category, hasn't missed a game yet and led the East in assists. Think the Celtics would rather have that No. 8 draft selection back, or Vitaly Potapenko? It's a no-brainer that Miller could haunt a number of teams that passed him up for years.

	THE FACTS
	2000-01 record: 30-52, 6th in Central, 11th in East Playoffs: none Team leaders: Miller 15.8 ppg; 8 apg, Weatherspoon 9.7 rpg Team stats (NBA rank): Points, 92.2 (22nd); Rebs, 42.1 (17th); FG %, .442 (14th) Current rotation: Ilgauskas/Doleac C; Hill/Mihm PF; Murray SF; Stith SG; Miller PG; Langdon/Jones 6th man Spot in Summer Power Rankings: No. 24

The bad: We're a bit skeptical that Ilgauskas will make it, so Michael Doleac, a college teammate of Miller's at Utah, gets the nod at center. Doleac doesn't play like a near 7-footer, but he's useful, and Orlando didn't want him. Top draft pick DeSagana Diop was in high school last season, and despite being a legit 300-pounds, be very patient. Chris Mihm, now in his second year and yet another 7-footer, was drafted as a center, but might fit in better here as a power forward. At least that's the hope. Mihm got his best minutes the final month and showed promise.

Say this for the Cavs, there is depth here even if -- or when after last year's M*A*S*H unit -- people get hurt. Last year seven players started between 22 and 55 games, and it wasn't all because coach Randy Wittman couldn't decide. Doleac, Mihm, Diop and Ilgauskas can play the middle, newcomer Tyrone Hill is a solid rebounder and likely starting power forward and Lamond Murray and Jumaine Jones are the small forwards. Hill will be hard pressed to match the production delivered by the departed Clarence Weatherspoon, who started every game and had a team-high 25 double-doubles.

Murray was second on the team in scoring, and may lose time to the more athletic Jones if he doesn't become more consistent. Of course, Jones was hardly consistent in Philly. Murray had two big scoring months, but struggled the rest of the time, ending with numbers considerably worse than the year before.

Miller is the rock of the backcourt, and four other guards figure to see minutes on a crowded roster. Bryant Stith comes from Boston and along with outside shooter Wesley Person, will hold the spot for youngster Trajan Langdon, who did very little except for one magical 31-point outing early on where he drained 6-of-6 threes. Langdon and Miller is the backcourt the Cavs hope to see for years. Meanwhile, Bimbo Coles gets the 14 or so minutes a night that Miller doesn't play at backup point. At least 20 teams wouldn't mind having Coles as a backup.

The ugly: Left foot, left foot, right foot, right. How many feet can you ... OK, we're not Dr. Seuss, and the Cavs are probably going to have to face the reality of Ilgauskas at some point. One healthy season out of five is not a good sign. It's a shame, too, because in a conference in which 50 wins gets you a home playoff series and two All-Star caliber players can get you 50 wins, the Cavs aren't far away. But getting Ilgauskas on the court might be.

The future: Miller is the star here, and he figures to get even better when he gets an outside shot (17 threes) and better offensive-minded teammates. If Ilgauskas could play again, or if Mihm could become a little less foul-prone and develop down low, Miller would be even better. The rest of the lineup is deep but average. Playing time will be a problem and nobody playing the swing positions or power forward is a safe bet for more than 12 points a game.

New coach John Lucas could have a playoff team based on what the Cavs showed in November and before Ilgauskas went down last season. Or he could have another mediocre squad. He thinks the team will be good, and showed that upbeat attitude when he was hired this summer.

Stith played for Lucas in Denver, where he was an assistant coach, and probably picked Cleveland because of him. Lucas is getting his third chance to coach after failed efforts in Philadelphia and San Antonio. And he's a lot different than passive predecessor Randy Wittman. "They've never seen anything like me," he said. "I've got an energy level that these guys have never seen before."

Now if he can only transfer that energy into healing some feet.

So we asked you this question about the Cavs: If Ilgauskas can play, are the Cavs a playoff team?

Check the file to the right for selected responses.

Eric Karabell is ESPN.com's NBA editor.