"Byron Scott dismisses Antawn Jamison's move to the bench as no big deal.

Jamison forces a smile and says he's still making the adjustment.

Scott believes that Jamison's achy left knee is a concern and something the Cavaliers will have to monitor and watch this season. Jamison insists that his 34-year-old body isn't breaking down and that he'll be back to health in no time.

Scott thinks the knee has contributed to his slow start this season, but that Jamison says his shot is just fine.

Yet, if there is one thing both coach and former All-Star can agree on, it's that Jamison is a team guy who won't start griping now, even though his body language depicts a player frustrated with his role and with his recurring knee injuries that have plagued the start to his season.

''The season has been frustrating, as a team and as an individual,'' Jamison said Thursday. ''This is when you stay positive, continue to work knowing you're doing the right things and hopefully you get a breakthrough on both sides. Right now I'm puzzled like, 'Why now?' ''

Jamison takes better care of his body the older he gets. He works out all offseason and participates in yoga classes, but the same left knee that irritated him shortly after he joined the Cavs last season is bothering him again and really has since the preseason.

First it was tendinitis, then he sprained it, now it is swelling up on him again and limiting movement.

He participated in practice Thursday, a good sign that he might be able to play tonight against the 76ers at Philadelphia. He is listed as questionable for now, until the Cavs can see how his knee responds this morning after the workout.

That knee and the grind of an NBA season are two big reasons why Scott wants to bring Jamison off the bench. The fact J.J. Hickson set a career high with 31 points in the loss Tuesday to the Atlanta Hawks offers more proof the Cavs need to keep Hickson in the starting lineup.

''He understands it's probably best for him and us,'' Scott said of Jamison. ''The biggest problem has been health-wise. Mentally he's been in that [sixth man] position before and he handled it extremely well.''

But Jamison has been named to two All-Star teams and surpassed 17,000 career points since winning the Sixth Man of the Year award with the Dallas Mavericks in 2004."