Guest ATENEARS Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Pistons at Cavaliers 8:00 PM ET, Sunday February 22, 2009 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH Pistons-Cavaliers Preview Mo Williams had 25 points in Cleveland's first meeting with the Pistons, a 96-89 loss in Detroit on Nov. 19. It looked like the Pistons (28-27) would get the best of the Cavaliers at The Palace again on Feb. 1 as they led by eight after three quarters. But with James on the bench to start the fourth, Williams sparked a 15-2 run and Cleveland eventually cruised to a 90-80 win. James had 33 and Williams 22. "It makes it easier for (James) because you can't leave Mo," Pistons guard Allen Iverson said. Detroit won consecutive games after that loss, but has lost its last five. Iverson's 31 points couldn't help it top San Antonio in an 83-79 loss on Thursday. The Pistons dropped to 2-10 at home since Jan. 13, and face a road trip that includes games at Boston, New Orleans and Orlando after Sunday's visit to Cleveland. "We lost again," guard Rodney Stuckey said. "I don't know. I really can't explain anything anymore. We just keep losing, and now we've got some great teams to play." Detroit hasn't lost six straight since Feb. 3-17, 2004. Coach Michael Curry has moved Richard Hamilton to the bench while Stuckey starts, and the second-year guard's play has hampered Detroit during its losing streak. Stuckey has averaged 8.2 points during the five-game skid, and has totaled five points in his last two games. Hamilton, meanwhile, had averaged 26.2 points in his last five games before scoring four points on 2-of-10 shooting against San Antonio. The Cavaliers, who own the NBA's best home record at 24-1, have lost four of five to Detroit at Quicken Loans Arena. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ATENEARS Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 West to start tonight! http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Aiy7...p&type=lgns It will be good to see him back, but they've been saying he was gonna play the past two games and I put him in my fantasy BB line-up and he didn't end up playing. I'll sit him out tonight and allow him to get a game in before playing him. I've seen conflicting reports, even about tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Masters Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Well Stan, they did announce each time several hours before that West wouldn't go, when it was thought he might. It will be good to have him back. I look forward to seeing how his shot looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIMO. Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 And I'm forced to watch the Oscars. Love LeBron's 17 on 8 shots. Hopefully they keep this up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ATENEARS Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 Man, what a mail-in by the Pistons. What the hell is Joe Dumars doing with these coaching changes? That is the worst Pistons team I've seen in Motown (with no hope) since the early 80's. I didn't care much for Michael Curry as a player and feel the same for his coaching. Detroit is a major sports city, WTF is Joe doing with this first year coach? It's almost sad. Add in the weakass flagrant foul they slapped on Maxiell and the ever changing rules to a sissy league and the Bad Boys are a fish out of water. I just don't get taking the hard foul out of the game. Anyhow ... that was an ugly Sunday night featured game. I lost interest in it at halftime. 99-78 as the Cavs played nice and kept this margin away from easily being 40+, after a 67-34 half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ATENEARS Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 Terry Pluto's scribbles from Cavs-Pistons by Terry Pluto/Plain Dealer Columnist Sunday February 22, 2009, 10:35 PM CLEVELAND --- Scribbles in my notebook as the Cavs spanked Detroit, 99-78. After scoring 55 points against Milwaukee on Friday, LeBron James didn't open Sunday's game looking for his shot. He made sure the ball moved, that Delonte West felt part of the game plan and the Cavs returned to their best "team" style of play. James took only four shots in the opening period -- three drives and a jumper. At the half, he had 17 points on only eight field goal attempts as the Cavs rolled to a stunning 67-34 lead. It's no accident the Cavs have their best court spacing and most consistent ball movement when West plays. He is a shooting guard with point guard skills and a point guard mindset. Just because James or anyone else calls for the ball, West doesn't automatically throw it. He wants the offense to set up. He also throws long passes up the court to start a fast break -- rather than dribble the ball every time, as too many guards are prone to do. Let's see, the Pistons traded their most unselfish and respected player (Chauncey Billups) for Allen Iverson. Then they team Iverson with the temperamental Rasheed Wallace and a rookie coach in Michael Curry. And they wonder why they have chemistry problems and a 27-27 record. Maybe the Pistons should have kept Billups, kept former coach Flip Saunders and traded Rasheed Wallace, who is for the deal. A Cleveland native and former star at Cuyahoga Heights High, Saunders averaged 55 victories in three season with the Pistons, taking them to the Eastern Conference Finals all three years. It was obvious that Wallace was wearing out everyone in Detroit, and he was becoming more of a problem than the coach. Never thought I'd write this: Sasha Pavlovic ranks fourth in the NBA, shooting .457 from 3-point range. Or the Cavs have three guys over 40 percent on 3-pointers in Mo Williams, West and Pavlovic. Or the Cavs rank No. 5 in 3-point shooting at .383. As I write this, I remember when the Cavs were starting Ira Newble and Eric Snow in the backcourt, and opposing teams dared them to shoot open 15 footers. The Cavs are shooting so well from the outside despite Daniel Gibson having the worst season of his three-year career, making only 37 percent. I don't think his toe injury has ever fully healed. I also think the Cavs need to get the ball out of his hands as a point guard, put him on the wing or in the corner, and let him concentrate on making open jumpers. He is not moving well enough to dribble past most defenders. I love how Williams and Wally Szczerbiak seem so excited just to play on a good team. Both have seen the other side of the street in the NBA and know how dismal it is to be part of teams going nowhere but the lottery -- and it's only February. As West finished with a stunning 25 points in his first game back after missing a month with a broken wrist, I thought of something former Cavs coach Lenny Wilkens said. He called a performance like this "an adrenaline game." He meant the player is so thrilled to be back, emotions carry him past any fatigue or rustiness. Wilkens said the next few games is when the player begins to regress a bit, as he has to play himself back into game condition. The remarkable part of West is he's always in superb shape, a true gym rat. Watching Zydrunas Ilgauskas swish 18-footers, I checked the NBA stats and discovered that he's making nearly 45 percent from 15 feet to the 3-point line -- 25th best in the league. It's also remarkable for a 7-3 center. I am so glad that in the last few years, most fans have truly come to appreciate the Cavs center who has been here for 11 years and has played for seven coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ATENEARS Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 Like I said last night, I just can't understand what Pistons GM Joe Dumars is attempting to do. The only thing I can think of is that owner Bill Davidson owns Guardian Glass, which is an automotive supplier. Perhpa sthey are hurting for money and some of these deals are budget cuts, but the ousting of Flip Saunders was unlike Joe. Trading Billups was too. I've always liked the Piston's organization, moreso than the Bulls or Pacers. The Pistons owner is first class, and whom Cavs owner Dan Giilbert learned all about NBA entertainment. It's almost sad to see that franchise so down and going no where. You don't get much classier players/executives than Joe Dumars. One thing the Pistons have going for them is that they will have emptied the books this off-season and may have some pretty decent talent to entice as teams drop players trying to gear up for the 2010 class. Last nights game had no feeling whatsoever as a heavy weight bout ... that's too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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