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LeBron, Cavs take on shorthanded Spurs

Feb 27, 2009 - 11:23 AM Cleveland (44-11) at San Antonio (39-17) 9:30 p.m. EST

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Two summers ago, they were facing off with an NBA championship on the line. A few months from now, they may be doing it again.

For now, the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs will have to settle for a mere regular-season showdown on Friday night at the AT&T Center.

Unlike in their rather brisk four-game series nearly two years ago - an NBA finals set that the Spurs swept - the Cavs might not be seeing the best from San Antonio in this outing. Two of the Spurs' top three players may be out of commission. Manu Ginobili is out with a stress reaction in his right ankle, while Tim Duncan has missed the last two contests due to right quadriceps tendinitis.

It remains to be seen if he will be available.

The Spurs manage to make do no matter who has been in the lineup, however, as they are currently riding a four-game winning streak. They have beaten playoff contenders Dallas and Portland by double-digit margins over the last two games, with Tony Parker picking up the slack and averaging 38 points between the two contests.

The Cavaliers will be without their own big man against San Antonio after Ben Wallace suffered a broken right fibula during a 93-74 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

The injury, which occurred when Wallace was kicked by Yao Ming during the contest, will keep him out four-to-six weeks.