Cleveland Cavaliers' Mo Williams out 4-6 weeks with shoulder sprain

CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers will not have guard Mo Williams for tonight's big game with the Los Angeles Lakers, and not for quite some time.

Williams suffered a left shoulder sprain Tuesday after reaching for a steal against the Toronto Raptors. After getting an MRI today at the Cleveland Clinic, team doctors have determined Williams will miss 4-6 weeks. That would put his return some time after next month's All-Star Game.

It could have been worse, the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade suffered a nearly identical hit reaching for a ball two years ago and it ended his season with surgery.

It is a significant loss against the Lakers, who have trouble defending small guards. Williams scored a season-high 28 points in the win against the Lakers on Christmas Day.

But it is also a significant loss for any game. He's the team's second-leading scorer at 16.7 points a game. The Cavs don't have much experience playing without him: He's played 124 out of a possible 125 games since coming to the team last season.

The Cavs are also short on point guards and don't have a true backup on the roster. Delonte West, a combo guard, will start and likely get most of Williams' minutes. It will also likely mean a return to the rotation for Daniel Gibson as well.