Tyler Zeller injury: Cavs 'hopeful' center returns for Mavericks game

Cleveland Cavaliers center Tyler Zeller has been out since Nov. 5, when he suffered a concussion after inadvertently being struck in the head by a DeAndre Jordan elbow. Cavs head coach Byron Scott said on Tuesday that he's hoping Zeller will return to the court on Saturday when the team faces the Dallas Mavericks.

The team said that Zeller's condition has improved since the incident, though he will have to pass tests before being allowed to play again. Zeller also suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left cheekbone on the play, and it's possible that he will come back wearing the type of plastic mask, popularized by Richard Hamilton.

Through Cleveland's first four games, Zeller was averaging 18 minutes per game, and was putting up 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He was shooting 50 percent from the floor but just 40 percent from the free-throw line. He was Cleveland's top big man off the bench, and the team's depth has suffered in his absence.