Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas returned to the Cavaliers’ starting lineup in Miami on Sunday for the first time since his wife went into early labor and lost twin babies.
Ilgauskas missed four games, a stretch that began before the All-Star break.
His wife, Jennifer, began having problems after Cleveland played the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 11. She was about five months’ pregnant at the time, and delivered a stillborn boy and girl on Feb. 14, Ilgauskas said.
“Neither one of them survived, so obviously, I just had to take some time for myself to take care of things,” Ilgauskas said softly before the Cavaliers lost 86-81 to Miami
He added that losing the babies was the toughest thing he’s ever experienced.
“It puts life in perspective,” he said. on Sunday.
