By Brian A. Lester

CLEVELAND -- Empty blue seats outnumber the fans on a Tuesday night in Gund Arena. The NBA season is coming to a close and Cleveland is playing a game against Phoenix that will mean nothing more than a mark in the win-loss column.

That is because the Cavaliers are 25-48 entering this tilt with the Suns, who aren't much better at 34-39. The Cavs' preseason hopes for a winning season vanished a long time ago, as did their shot at ending a three-year playoff drought.

But while basketball in this city remains in a troubled state, there are still nights when the fans here are given a reason to smile. Tuesday was one of them. The Cavs topped the Suns 101-96 in front of an announced crowd of 13,688 and ended a six-game slide.

The Cavs led 25-24 after one quarter and held a 53-49 advantage at halftime. Cleveland was up 87-77 with 6:23 remaining in the final quarter after Andre Miller converted a three-point play, but became lackadaisical down the stretch and nearly blew the game. It wasn't until Stephon Marbury drew iron on a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 5.6 seconds left -- the Cavs were in front 99-96 at the time -- that Cleveland was able to breathe easy.

Still, coach John Lucas was not entirely happy, and his frustration runs much deeper than Tuesday's close call. Lucas knows this team is much better than its record indicates, and he wishes he could wave a magic wand and make the players realize that, too.

"We think the game is over when we have a lead," Lucas said after Tuesday's win. "We want to celebrate with the fans. Right now we are just going through some growing pains. It's been a constant battle this season for me to put my will to win on this team."

If Lucas could do that, the Cavs would likely be better off.

Lucas, after all, knows a little bit about being successful. He was the No. 1 pick of the Houston Rockets in the 1976 NBA draft and played 14 seasons in the league. During his college career at Maryland, he was an All-American in 1975 and 1976 and is the Terrapins' all-time leader in points (2,015) and assists (514).

Miller, the Cavs' point guard, admits that the team is lucky to have Lucas as its coach and believes Lucas' strong desire to win will eventually rub off on the players.

"He has made a big difference since he has been here," said Miller, who tallied 16 points and 12 assists against the Suns. "He can be a tough coach at times, but as long as we play hard for him everything is going to be all right."

Cleveland has the potential to be a contender in the NBA, and it could reach that status as early as next season because its foundation for success will be firmly in place with Miller, Lamond Murray and Wesley Person all coming back.

Murray, who has three years left on his contract plus an option year, is the Cavs' leading scorer at 16.8 points per game.

Miller had his option year picked up before the start of the season and has said he would like to have a lengthy career in Cleveland. He is the team's second-leading scorer at 16.6 ppg, and he also dishes out an NBA-best 10.7 assists per outing.

As for Person, he is pumping in 15.0 points per night, good enough for third best on the team, and has two years remaining on his contract.

Then there is the energetic Ricky Davis. After not-so-stellar stints in Charlotte and Miami, Davis has found a home in Cleveland, averaging 10.7 ppg. He lit up the Suns for 28 points on Tuesday and has scored at least 23 points in his last four games, including a 35-point effort against the Lakers in a 121-116 setback.

If the Cavs can resign Davis -- he will be a restricted free agent at the end of the year -- and acquire a solid player in the NBA draft this June, they should be primed to make a run at the playoffs next season. Yet, as much potential as Cleveland has, the key to success in the future is staying healthy.

Health has long been a problem for the Cavs, and this season is no exception. Players such as lottery pick DeSanga Diop, Trajan Langdon, Chris Mihm and Zydrunas Ilgauskas have all seen extended time on the injured list. If the Cavs can avoid a serious wave of injuries, though, and if their crop of returning players live up to expectations, the outlook for next season is bright.

"Right now we are focused on finishing this season strong," Lucas said. "We have a great group coming back next year, and if we can stay healthy and tweak a few things here and there, we can be one of the better teams in the league."

Miller agrees.

"Obviously we aren't going to make the playoffs, but we still want to work hard and finish strong," Miller said. Hopefully, we can end the year on a good note and be a better team next year."

Brian Lester is a sports writer in Ohio and can be reached via e-mail at BAL4@hotmail.com