by Bill Nichols

The Cavaliers will find out about their protest of last Friday's loss to Buffalo within 10 days, but the odds of winning are stacked against them.

To the best of anyone's recollection only two protests have been allowed in the 26-year history of the National Basketball Association.

Only one has been allowed since Walter Kennedy was named commissioner in 1963. Ed Gottlieb, the league's schedulmaker, who has been involved with the NBA since its inception in 1946 vaguely remembers another one.

THE PROTEST allowed under Kennedy's regime concerned the Atlanta-Chicago game on Nov. 6, 1969, when the officials were overruled and a portion of the game was played over.

Cavs coach Bill Fitch protested the loss to Buffalo when his team was charged with a technical foul when he called a timeout after he had used up the allowable amount.

Buffalo converted the technical to give the Braves a 91-90 victory and the Cavs were told to inbound in their backcourt with four second remaining.

Fitch alluded to Rule 12, Section II, Paragraph A, which states, "Requests for time out in excess of authorized number shall be granted, however, a technical foul penalty shall be assessed. A team is entitled to all regular time out privileges."

FITCH CLAIMED the Cavaliers were not afforded the timeout privileges due them. The Cavs should have had the required 90 seconds for the timeout and they should have inbounded from midcourt.

If Cleveland wins the protest the records will be stricken from the standing until the final four second of the game are replayed which should be in Buffalo on Feb. 1.