Hughes out

Larry Hughes is the ultimate second-tier NBA player. He scores, penetrates, plays some defense, passes and can co-exist with bigger egos.
He did it last year in Washington with Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, and he has been doing it this year with LeBron James.
But there is a caveat with Hughes, and it has reared its ugly head again: he can't stay healthy.
This is his eighth NBA season, and only once has he not been relinquished to the injured list.
Prior to last night's win in Milwaukee, Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry announced that Hughes will have surgery on his right hand to repair a broken bone near the knuckle of his middle finger. He is expected to be gone six to eight weeks.
The Cavs' roster is deeper than last year's, but the loss of Hughes still leaves a pretty big hole to spackle for the next two months, during which the Cavs will embark on a two-week gauntlet run through the Western Conference.
Last night, Damon Jones started in place of Hughes, and the Cavs promptly put themselves in a double-digit hole before climbing out thanks mostly to LeBron and Drew Gooden. Jones is 6'-3" with the defensive instincts of a crash-test dummy. If coach Mike Brown repeatedly uses Jones on the opposing team's shooting guard, it will probably result in a repeat of last year's situation at the point, when Jeff McInnis consistently allowed every opposing point guard to burn Cleveland with uncontested penetration and wide-open jumpers.
Brown's other options are Ira Newble and Luke Jackson. Brown's defensive-oriented logic will probably lead him to Newble, last year's starting two-guard who lost his job because he can't shoot. Newble, if nothing else, will bring hustle, aggressive play and a wide body to the floor.
Jackson is struggling through what amounts to a second rookie season after missing two-thirds of last season recovering from back surgery. Brown apparently doesn't have a lot of confidence in Jackson right now, judging by his extreme lack of playing time in recent weeks.
Whatever Brown decides, it's not going to completely cover the hole created by Hughes' injury. But injuries are part of life in professional sports, and all teams sooner or later have to cope. LeBron, Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Donyell Marshall will have to step up until Hughes can put on a uniform again.
This is another test the Cavs will need to pass on the road to title contention.