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The Cavaliers have looked like a championship-caliber team in their last two victories, winning by large margins over some of the best the Western Conference has to offer.

Contributions in those two wins against the Mavericks and Suns have come from more than just the likes of LeBron James, Mo Williams and Shaquille O’Neal. Bench performers such as Daniel Gibson, Jamario Moon and Zydrunas Ilgauskas have done their part, as well, while on the court.

Gibson and Ilgauskas combined for 24 points against the Suns on Wednesday, while Moon 10.5 points over his last two games. Even with the strong play of those three, the most surprising, and refreshing, performance off the bench has come from Delonte West.

West had a double-double on Saturday in the Cavaliers 111-95 victory against the Mavericks, scoring 10 points and dishing out 10 assists. In the team’s 17-point victory over the Suns on Wednesday, he garnered eight points, six assists and two steals.

The 26-year-old seems to be getting back to his old self.

The old self that averaged 13.8 points per game during the 2008-09 postseason, the third-highest on the Cavaliers. The old self that has proved to be a menace to opposing guards because of his hard-nosed defense. The old self that the Cavaliers can rely on to play with unmatched passion.

“(West) is one of those guys who will lay everything on the line for you out there on the floor,” said Daniel Gibson after the team’s victory on Wednesday night.

West’s playing time has been scattered this season due to off-court problems.

He was arrested in September and now faces misdemeanor weapons possession charges. Then in October his wife filed a domestive violence report.

As a result of these factors, as well as his battle with a bipolar disorder, West has played in just 10 of the Cavaliers 18 games.

Even though his time on the court has been irregular so far this season, West still has an immediate impact when he comes into a game.

“Delonte is just one of those guys, he could not play for seven, eight straight games and come back in and it’s like he never missed a beat,” said LeBron James after the Cavaliers victory over the Mavericks. ”I don’t know how he does it, but you have certain guys in this league that can do that and he’s one of them.”

Although the Cavaliers are currently first in the Central Division at 13-5, getting West back on a permanent basis is still vital to the team’s success.

“We won 66 games  last year, made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and he started for us,” said Cavs coach Mike Brown. ”You take any player of that caliber out of anybodys rotation and, whether your winning or your losing, or your playing well or your not playing well, you miss it.”

With West it is always important to expect the unexpected, but he has shown these last couple games that he can get back to the player he was a season ago, and his teammates couldn’t be happier for him.

“A lot of us guys go through a lot of different things off the court, but when we get out there on the floor that’s our getaway,” said Gibson. ”And to see him out there enjoying that time, it’s real special.”