Overview: In an extremely ugly game, the Cavs were able to hold off the Pistons down the stretch and grind out a 79-73 win despite the fact LeBron, Z, and Mo combined to shoot 17-46 from the floor. Cavs-Related Bullets: Does anyone else selfishly catch themselves selfishly wishing that the Cavs had like, 3 or 4 home losses this year instead of just the one? I get that it’s important for us to feel like the Q is a fortress, but I have to have my heart in my throat when a team like Detroit is hanging around in the fourth quarter. Tonight was about defense, defense, and more defense, as our offense just didn’t have it on this night. Mo and Z weren’t hitting shots, LeBron got kept on the perimeter and went a tidy 3-17 from outside the paint and only got 3 assists. It was ugly stuff out there, and we even were getting beat on the boards. Fortunately, Detroit could get exactly zero going offensively. When they had the ball in the second half, it did not occur to me that they could score-I was just waiting for the Cavs to get the ball back. Before we pat ourselves on the back too badly, Detroit really, really, really mailed this one in-AI was the only guy out there giving a crap down the stretch, which was kind of striking. Oh, and speaking of the stretch, I thought LeBron was off in the fourth quarter tonight. He scored or assisted on every Cavs basket until Mo’s intentional free-throws. His jump shot was not there, but he was moving hard off the ball and finding his spots in transition and finishing with contact including a ridiculous off-balance spinning flip with his wrist as he was getting fouled by Will Bynum. (By the way: why do you not dunk of Will Bynum in that situation?) I’m not sure whether to be troubled or somehow more awed and encouraged that after ripping off a run of drives and passes to put the Cavs ahead, LeBron decided sealing the game would be too easy and instead went for the dagger with a pull-up jumper and a ridiculous lefty wraparound pass in traffic to Varejao as he was flying to the basket. The game may actually be too easy for LeBron at this point. Again, big ups to the bench crew for putting together a monster second quarter with LeBron on the bench.
Bullets of Randomness: Just an all-out implosion by Detroit’s backcourt tonight. 9 assists for the team, the entire game, and for all AI gets, he was clearly the best Piston on the floor tonight. This week has been like a revival act for old guards against us.
Does this still feel like a rivalry to you guys? I don’t really see the intensity anymore. I would much, much, much, much rather play these guys than the Bulls at this moment.
Agreed. I want nothing to do with the Bulls in the first round. They have become a very dangerous team since the trade deadline. Del Negro still has no idea what he’s doing, but they have talent and depth at almost every position now.
Doesn’t matter who we play in the playoffs. And that is the best compliment I can give these Cavs. The only team that can beat the Cavs are the Cavs themselves (and maybe the Lakers with Bynum, but we’ll see).
I thought the Piston’s actually brought it tonight. You want to see the Pistons mailing it in, see the last game at the Q where they were 30+ down at halftime. Their defensive rotations were solid. They showed energy and kept us on the perimeter. I mean, they held us to 79 points.
And AI was certainly not their best player on the floor tonight. The Cavs went at him every one of the 18 minutes he was on the floor. When Boobie is taking you off the dribble you’re not really earning your check on the defensive end. He had a nice little stretch in the middle of the fourth where you thought he might put this one on his back, but other than that, dreadful. Rip Hamilton was the guy who kept them in it, and Rasheed’s threes. That’s not to say that Rasheed was great. He’s a shadow of the player he was. And I always felt he was the guy who took Pistons from solid to great. But those days are obviously over. Stuckey’s a joke, keep him away from the rim and he’s got NOTHING else to go to. Ben Wallace might say his game is a shamockery. Tayshaun looks scared to take those open threes he used to make regularly. I think you gotta put the blame on Curry. That team isn’t operating on the same page.
Our pick and roll defence has been REALLY soft lately. That needs to be fixed before the playoffs. But that’s just being nit-picky. We’re not really trying in the first half (the game might be a little too easy for LeBron right now, but I’m assuming he’ll bring his 4th quarter intensity all playoffs long… which should be freaking the shit out of every other team in the league).
Viva la Cavs.
Were you watching the same game? Iverson was slow and obviously not in game-shape. His lack of awareness of plays or just outright refusal to run them, caused two of Will Bynum’s turnovers late in the 4Q. The Pistons are going thru the motions but Iverson is the cancer that we all know he is. Just look at how his teammates treat him during timeouts/huddles.
The Washington game was poorly officiated. Salvattore loves hearing his own whistle blow – Hack.
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