Cavs-Pistons Second Round Playoff Series

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/19/06

Irritation worth having for `Z'

By Tom Reed

<!-- begin body-content -->Zydrunas Ilgauskas has rediscovered a need for a comb. He's not particularly wild about using it, but the alternative to neatly grooming his thick swatch of facial hair is to risk looking like a man with a beard of bees or being confused with an American Taliban member.
``I'm a little tired of it,'' the Cavaliers' center said. ``I've got to comb it when I get up in the morning.''
Ilgauskas' playoff beard had been his most noticeable contribution until the past few games. Whether he can build on Wednesday night's performance in an 86-84 win over the Detroit Pistons could have an impact on the series.
The 7-foot-3 Lithuanian had been the team's biggest disappointment in a playoff run that rapidly is exceeding everyone's expectations.
He had struggled at both ends of the court and was on the verge of being marginalized by his backup and good friend, Anderson Varejao.
Then came Wednesday. On one of the franchise's most memorable nights, Ilgauskas responded with his best postseason effort.
``Z'' scored 14 points before fouling out. He grabbed 10 rebounds. He swatted shots like King Kong batting away planes from atop the Empire State Building. Ilgauskas finished with six blocks, including four in a crucial first quarter that ended in a 20-20 tie.
Talk about a difference. Z looked like a man who changed his drink of choice from Benadryl to Red Bull.
``He was awesome,'' LeBron James said. ``Every block was a game-changing block. He brought his `A' game, and we'll need it again (tonight).''
The Cavs have a chance to close out the Pistons at Quicken Loans Arena. Few thought that was possible a week ago, especially with the way the Cavs' two-time All-Star was playing.
He was a nonfactor after the opener in the six-game series win over the Washington Wizards. He showed little improvement as the Cavs fell behind the Pistons 2-0.
It became increasingly hard to watch Ilgauskas struggle because you knew how long he had waited and how much the playoffs meant to him. Z is the only link to the 1997-98 team, the last Cavs' squad to qualify for the postseason.
He kept having to answer questions as to whether he was injured or fatigued. Z said he was neither. Still, his postseason numbers dramatically lagged his regular-season totals.
Ilgauskas felt so bad about his playoff production, he offered a surprising statement after Game 3 of the Pistons' series: ``Anyone who knows me knows I'm not tanking it.''
He believes he became his own toughest opponent. Nobody had gotten in his head. He simply couldn't get out of it.
``I kind of doubted myself,'' said Ilgauskas, who is averaging 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds in the playoffs, while shooting 43 percent from the field.
``I was thinking too much. I've never been accused of that in my life.''
Ilgauskas essentially conceded he was choking. The star center, who averaged 15.6 points and shot 51 percent during the regular season, appeared hesitant and a step slow.
The pace of the Wizards series seemed too quick for him. The Cavs trailed the Pistons so early in the first two games they lost the patience to pound inside and establish his presence.
Coach Mike Brown was correct in using the energetic Varejao for long stretches in Z's place. To his credit, Ilgauskas supported the decision and his young teammate. Nobody will mistake him for playing Trent Dilfer to Varejao's Charlie Frye.
Ilgauskas kept working. He also took heart in the rejuvenated performances of teammates Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall.
Improvement started in Game 3 when he made consecutive third-quarter baskets to spark a comeback. Z then hit 4-of-8 shots in Game 4.
It was Wednesday, however, when Ilgauskas played his first dominant postseason game. He blocked four shots from Rip Hamilton, who had been the Pistons' best player in the series. He dove on the floor for loose balls, grabbed five offensive rebounds and capitalized on the limited mobility of Rasheed Wallace, who is nursing a sprained ankle.
The Cavs need to exploit that advantage again tonight.
``It felt great,'' Z said of his Game 5 effort. ``I started aggressive and I took the offense as it came to me.''
If Ilgauskas puts together a string of quality games, it might be another few weeks before he shaves. Make no mistake, it would be welcomed aggravation.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/19/06

Series is ripe for Cavs to pick

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->The time for the Cavaliers to put away the Detroit Pistons is right now. Tonight. At home.
Do it quickly, while the Pistons still aren't sure what has hit them in this remarkable Eastern Conference semifinal series.
One more game, that's all the Cavs need to face the Miami Heat in the conference finals.
But one more victory might be all the Pistons need to breathe a bit. To shrink that sick feeling in the pits of their stomachs -- wondering if they are one of the biggest playoff flops in NBA history.
That's what the Cavs have working for them at 7 p.m. tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. They are at home, and will have more than a wild, stomping, screaming sellout crowd on their side.
They seem to have history.
Detroit was an NBA-best 64-18 in the regular season. The Pistons never lost more than two in a row.
The Cavs have defeated the Pistons three times in six days. They have a 3-2 lead in this best-of-seven series. It seems inconceivable that any team -- much less one led by a rookie head coach and a 21-year-old superstar -- could win four in a row against these Pistons.
But who knows what these Cavs might do?
The Cavs are hot; the Pistons are stalled. The Cavs had winning streaks this season of nine, eight, seven and six games. Maybe this is another one. They seem happy but not shocked. It's like they know something that most of us don't.
Certainly that's true of the Pistons, who seem to look more confused by the Cavs with each passing hour.
It is one thing for them to lose twice in Cleveland, yet another to get beaten by the Cavs on the court where they were 42-4 going into Wednesday night. In Game 5, the Cavs never trailed in the second half. Not once. Detroit tied the score three times in the fourth quarter with its own crowd screeching and pleading for the Cavs to fold.
Not once could the Pistons take the lead.
Forget breaking, the Cavs were barely bending under the playoff pressure.
Mission possible
Which is why it's time to win now.
We've learned not to count out these Cavs under any circumstances.
But finish the job. Don't go back to Detroit for a Game 7. Realize that there are rare times when all the NBA playoff planets align in your direction. When a Once-In-A-Century comet like LeBron James lands in your town, the basketball gods seem to be smiling on your team.
Detroit star Rasheed Wallace pops off about beating the Cavs in five games, then sprains an ankle. Super Pistons guard Chauncey Billups commits an utterly ridiculous and frustrating sixth foul with 2:12 left in Game 5 and his team behind by two points.
Billups goes to the bench.
The Cavs go on to win.
In this series, everyone from Drew Gooden to Donyell Marshall to Damon Jones to Eric Snow has helped James by making monster clutch shots. A struggling Zydrunas Ilgauskas came alive in Game 5 with 14 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. Anderson Varejao has been playing like the old Dennis Rodman -- and he's putting the ball in the basket.
In 11 playoff games, the Cavs have won three times by one point, twice by two points. They have yet to lose a close game.
It won't always be this way.
History lesson
Sorting through the Cavaliers' playoff history is a little like discussing the times Barney the dinosaur was up for the Oscar.
The Cavs have had some nice teams. The Miracle of Richfield in 1976 was one of those ``you had to be there'' moments. The 1992 Cavs went to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to Michael Jordan (who else?) and the Chicago Bulls in six games.
The Cavs have never been to the NBA Finals. They've never been in such a commanding position to knock off a huge favorite in the second round.
Cavs fans generally define themselves by miserable moments: The Foot (Jim Chones, 1976); The Shot (Michael Jordan, 1989); The Trade (Ron Harper, 1990); The Ted Stepien Era (early 1980s).
Now we officially are in the LeBron Era, and some of us are still not sure how to react. He just received more votes to the All-NBA First Team than any other player. Right now, he might be the best in the NBA.
And he's only 21.
And he's playing for the Cavaliers.
And he has the Cavs thinking they can beat anyone, including the Pistons.
In fact, he has the Pistons thinking the Cavs can beat the Pistons, and that's the most remarkable story of all.
Momentum shift
Pistons coach Flip Saunders warned after his team's rout of the Cavs in Game 1: ``Any series can change on one play, one game.''
It did in Game 3 in Cleveland, when the Cavs outscored Detroit 33-21 in the final period to grab an 86-77 victory.
The Pistons are reaching back into their own history for hope. In 2004, they were down 3-2 to the New Jersey Nets, then won Game 6 at the Meadowlands and followed that with a 90-69 triumph at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
In 2005, they were down 3-2 to Miami. They won Game 6 at home, then Game 7 on the Heat's home court.
For the Cavs, everything is going right. Key players are confident and healthy. The bench is producing. The coaches seem sharp. Detroit is shaky.
It won't always be this way in future playoffs.
Yes, the Cavaliers are ahead of schedule. A 50-win season, a first-round victory over Washington and a respectable showing against Detroit would have been the most optimistic prediction for this season.
But 21-year-old LeBron James has always been ahead of schedule, doing things no one his age had done in the NBA.
So maybe the time is now to dream bigger than any Cavs fan would dare.
That dream could begin tonight with a victory in Game 6.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/19/06

Run could land LeBron long term

Cavs' success in playoffs bodes well for re-signing star at first chance

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - There's a river of positive energy flowing through the Cavaliers organization right now and its biggest dividend could come this summer.
Spurred on by limitless playoff potential and the satisfaction of achievement from this breakout season, all signs point to LeBron James quickly and happily signing a five-year contract extension in the offseason.
The team will officially offer the deal, worth around $75 million, on July 1 and James can sign it any time between July 12 and Oct. 31. With Team USA training for the FIBA World Championships set for July 19 in Las Vegas, then an Asian tour and the competition itself set to eat up all of August and some of September, it would be prudent for James to get the deal done.
He said Wednesday he's almost overwhelmed by how fast the team has developed around him and it has led to a very positive take on the franchise's future.
``As good as we are now? I didn't think we could be this good this fast,'' James said. ``With eight new players, a whole new coaching staff, a whole new organization... I knew with the offseason acquisitions that we were going to be a good team. We've come a long way in the last year.''
It isn't a closely guarded secret James is happy with the way things have developed. He said in December that: ``I can't wait to sign my extension,'' but he hasn't done it in a large media setting since. That's fueled some speculation that he'll skip his chance to extend his deal and become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2007.
Yet, in the best interest of the Cavs' chances to pursue a championship, James will likely want to make it known to any free agents that might consider the Cavs this summer that he'll be around for the long haul.
Beyond that, the smart business decision for James will be to take the offer when it is presented, since no team in the NBA can offer more and they can't match any offer to James in the open market until 2008.
He needs to look no further than Amare Stoudemire, who signed a maximum contract extension with the Phoenix Suns last summer as soon as he was able and later had to undergo two knee surgeries that wrecked his season and might have damaged his value if he'd waited.
The new organization has impressed James, his family and his representatives.
James has already built a strong relationship with primary team owners Dan Gilbert and David Katzman, who can often be found watching games or hanging out before and after games with James' closest advisors.
Gilbert's children often mingle in the hallways of arenas with James' manager, Maverick Carter. Two of the first people to congratulate Gilbert in Washington when the Cavs prevailed in a series over the Wizards were James' agent Leon Rose and advisor William Wesley.
According to those close to James, how the team has supported Larry Hughes and his family during the death of his brother has only further convinced James it is the proper organization to commit to long term.
All that said, team officials will not take James' re-signing for granted -- publicly or privately -- and probably will never rest easy.
When the contract issue is settled, there will be constant pressure to add pieces to the team to support James and, like with other franchise players such as Kevin Garnett and Allen Iverson, there will be regular speculation that the resident star could demand to be traded.
In the modern NBA, that all comes with the territory.
Hughes might return
After a weeklong absence from the team to take care of his family, Larry Hughes might be back on the bench for tonight's Game 6. Not having practiced or played over that span, it is questionable he'd even be activated for the game, much less play. Flip Murray will remain in the starting lineup at shooting guard. The Cavs are 21-7 with Murray in the starting lineup this season.
Dribbles
James got an MVP trophy Thursday -- from the All-Star Game. The trophy was damaged during shipping in February and was repaired and re-presented to him after the team's film session.... Zydrunas Ilgauskas' six blocks in Game 5 tied a franchise playoff record also held by Nate Thurmond and Larry Nance.... Damon Jones got accidently punched in the head by Anderson Varejao during the postgame celebration Wednesday, the second time he's been hurt celebrating this postseason. James tackled him after he made the game-winning shot in Game 6 of the Wizards series.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/19/06

Cavs' key is maintaining D


Friday, May 19, 2006

Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter

The Cavaliers enter tonight's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Detroit Pistons on a roll.

But no matter how well the team has played and no matter how close they are in advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs remain cautious.

"Mentally, we're in a great position," said guard Damon Jones. "Our focus is one where we're not going to be complacent with our lead. We're going to come out and fight as if the series has just started. We have a lead and we're at home but we can't take anything for granted at this point in time.

We're certain Detroit is going to come and play really hard so we have to be focused for 48 minutes to try to get this win."

A Cavs victory tonight will clinch this best-of-seven playoff series which tips off at 7 at The Q.

The Cavs hold an improbable 3-2 edge over the two-time defending conference champions Pistons. The Cavs have a chance to finish off a team that at times during the regular season was compared to some of the great teams of the past.

The Pistons finished with the best regular-season record at 64-18.
The Cavs have the opportunity to erase many of those comparisons but they're aware the Pistons will not easily give in.

"It's going to be very difficult, especially since we're playing one of the best teams in the NBA," said LeBron James, about the possibility of eliminating the Pistons. "We're on our home court and we worked hard at our home court and we have to protect home. If we protect home we'll be in good shape."

Coach Mike Brown wants the Cavs to match the determination he is expecting from the Pistons.

"Anytime you play a team with pride and with their back against the wall, they come out and give their best," Brown said. "They come out and fight, they claw, they scratch and do whatever it takes to win the ballgame and we don't expect anything else."

One way of countering the expected level of exertion is how the Cavs have handled the Pistons in the last three games. The Cavs have played some of their best team defense of the season. The timing could not have been better. The team spent most of the year learning and applying Brown's defensive system as they went along. It was a big change from last season.

"My off-season workouts included myself getting better on the defensive end and with [coach Brown] coming only helped me," James said. "It took us a little time to get used to it because of the new system. It's all falling together at the right time."

The basic concept of the defense relies more on a team concept compared to a defense that relies heavily on one-on-one matchups. Brown's style is about communication between players, help defense and trust.

"When the ball is moved, all five guy should move with the ball," Brown said. "If a guys gets beat, he should be able to trust one of his teammates to be there for him."

That defense was utilized during the first two games of this series but it didn't matter as the Pistons exploded behind 47 percent shooting in those two games combined. Games 3, 4 and 5 have been totally different. The Pistons turned the ball over 50 times in those three games and they're shooting 38.4 percent in their last three outings. The Cavs' defense has made a mighty stand.

"When you have a pretty good team, you're able to play at any pace or any style," Brown said. "Look at the Pistons, look at the Spurs, look at the Mavericks. If the game has to be 110 or a 115 they can play that style and win. If it has to be 77 and 79, they can play that style and win. We played games in the 100s against Washington and this is a different series and a different team and we figured out if we give effort for 48 minutes, cover for one another and communicate, then we're going to give ourselves a chance to be good defensively."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4671

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

5/19/06

Last win vs. Pistons will be the toughest

Friday, May 19, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]SPORTS SPOTLIGHT TODD PORTER[/FONT]



CLEVELAND - Amid all their toys and trinkets, the personal video-game systems in their lockers, the flat-panel TVs, the gourmet meals and the five-star hotels, the Cavaliers grew up. When Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace said the Pistons had traveled the road the Cavs are trying to get on, LeBron James steered the team bus that cut off Detroit.
As important and historic as Wednesday night’s Game 5 will be remembered, the 21-year-old man — yes, man — put it in perspective. While TV analysts began to sing the praises of King James, he had perspective.
The 86-84 win and 3-2 series advantage Cleveland has on Detroit? Means nothing, he said.
“It means nothing if we lose the last two games,” LeBron said. “It means nothing at all. We don’t feel privileged. We don’t feel comfortable. ... This is about wining the series. If we lose two in a row, this means nothing.”
A reporter sneezed in the middle of his sentence.
“Bless you.”
The crack in the press room was the writer had finally been blessed by LeBron.
Cleveland has.
And the Cavs can pull off one of Cleveland sports’ biggest upsets if they close out this Eastern Conference semifinal with a Game 6 win tonight. The atmosphere at Quicken Loans Arena will be electric.
Whether this team matches it will show just how much progress has been made in the last month. No one expected this team to be this far. Quite frankly, getting in the playoffs and winning a series is progress and enough to have made owner Dan Gilbert giddy, and satisfied LeBron enough that he would have re-signed in the offseason because the Cavs have a team that should be playoff-ready for several years.
That is a remarkable state for a franchise that didn’t have a top 10 list of significant moments in team history until the last month, and five of those are tied to that last month. A sixth is getting LeBron in the lottery.
As much as Mike Brown has brought this team together and sold the idea of team, Cleveland’s most significant step came off the court.
The death of Larry Hughes’ brother provided perspective. It gave the Cavs a rallying point. Attending the services this week made it real.
That was life and death.
This is not.
Brown’s team is relaxed. The Pistons are playing as if this is life and death. For all Detroit’s experience, its players made a rookie mistake. No one checked their egos at the arena door when the playoffs began. Wallace made the guarantee. He’s ruffled feathers and upset locker room chemistry.
Cleveland never bit on the bait. The Cavs never tried to beat Wallace for disrespecting them.
“We’re being very professional about the situation,” veteran guard Damon Jones said. “No one is talking about anything we don’t need to talk about. We need to focus on Game 6, and, from start to finish, try to put together a game plan this is going to get us the ‘W’.”
In Cleveland’s locker room, it’s all business. The Pistons might have noticed. Maybe they’re learned a thing, or two.
They’re not going down easily, if at all.
The inexperienced Cavs seem to know this. LeBron does.
“If we take care of business (tonight) and give the same performance as we’ve been doing the last week, you’ll see a nice smile on my face,” he said. He said earlier this week he’d like to kill the Pistons with kindness. Who knew he was serious? Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected].



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[akronbuck]

anyone hear what scotty pippen said yesterday on espn and mike@mike
:)
he said he would take Lebron over Jordan snd compared the age difference with Lebron at 21 doing what Jordan did at 25

About time

 

[exhawg]

anyone hear what scotty pippen said yesterday on espn and mike@mike
:)
he said he would take Lebron over Jordan snd compared the age difference with Lebron at 21 doing what Jordan did at 25

About time

As of now there isn't a comparison between Lebron and Jordan. IIRC Jordan was still a Jr at NC at this point of his career. Thanks to the change in the draft age Lebron is going to have a lot of records that will never be broken.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/19/06

Brown’s been on his game for Cavs

Rookie coach stays calm under pressure, has his team clicking

Friday, May 19, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>

</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>

</IMG> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CLEVELAND — The hottest hand in the Cavaliers’ secondround series against Detroit hasn’t belonged to LeBron James, or any other player for that matter.
Rookie coach Mike Brown has pushed all the right buttons to put the Cavaliers, once down 0-2, not only back in the series but in control heading into Game 6 tonight.
Cleveland, with a 3-2 lead over the Pistons, is one win from eliminating the defending Eastern Conference champions, in large part because Brown has handled every challenge on and off the court.
Brown didn’t panic when the Cavaliers dropped the first two games in convincing fashion, or when the team lost veteran shooting guard Larry Hughes before Game 3 after the death of Hughes’ 20-yearold brother.
Brown kept the team focused, and the Cavaliers toughed out an 86-77 victory.
When Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace guaranteed victory in Game 4, Brown maintained a steady hand and refused to let his team engage in a war of words.
Now the Cavaliers have won three straight.
"I knew he was good," Cavaliers assistant coach Hank Egan said. "But what’s surprised me is how quickly he’s gotten it done. It’s not complete, but it’s surprising how quickly he’s gotten us to this point."
This point is one game from the Eastern Conference finals, where the Miami Heat awaits. It would be an improbable feat for the Cavs, but Brown appears to have the players peaking at the right time.
Man to man, the Pistons have more talent and more experience than the Cavaliers, who remain a 5 1 /2-point underdog tonight at home.
"Every NBA team is talented, but what it comes down to is that secret word ‘chemistry,’ " Brown said. "If that chemistry is there, then that usually means good things for the better teams."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/19/06

Coaching a comeback

Cleveland coach Mike Brown has taken his team from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 advantage in a second-round series vs. the Detroit Pistons. Dispatch Cavaliers reporter James Walker breaks down five of the reasons Cleveland is still in the playoffs.

Friday, May 19, 2006


<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


DEFENSE IS THE WAY

The Cavaliers’ pedigree has not been defense first, and the shootout method worked in the first round against the Washington Wizards.
Cleveland tried that method without success in the first two games against Detroit, losing by a combined 36 points.
The past three games might have been defensive and ugly, but they have been Cleveland wins.
Brown changed the team’s attitude at the right time.
A few subtle adjustments, like switching on the perimeter to better contest three-pointers, have made the difference in keeping the Pistons at bay.
"It’s definitely not our offense that’s helping us win these games," Brown said yesterday. "It’s been defensively, and we have to continue to try to take that challenge on."
Even LeBron James, not known for his defense, is putting forth his best effort of the season. He has eight steals, four blocks and 23 rebounds in the team’s three wins.
MORE ANDERSON VAREJAO

Brown made a gutsy move, giving backup center Anderson Varejao more minutes at the expense of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who has struggled in the playoffs.
Varejao responded by playing his best basketball, infusing energy that Detroit has been unable to match.
The pick-and-roll play between James and Varejao has been a killer, opening up driving lanes for James or easy layups for Varejao if Detroit double teams.
Varejao has also contributed on the defensive end, playing a major role in slowing Rasheed Wallace, who averaged 9.3 points in the three losses, and taking a crucial charge against Chauncey Billups that helped Cleveland seal Game 4.
The added rest and Varejao’s play inspired Ilgauskas to play his best game of the postseason Thursday. He recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, in addition to a playoff-best six blocks.
"I guess I just kind of forgot about it, came out and just started playing," Ilgauskas said.
OUTCOACHING THE COACH

Flip Saunders came to Detroit with a reputation for being offense minded, , and the thinking was that his wide-open style and Detroit’s uncanny knack for shutting down opponents would be a perfect match.
It was perfect during the regular season as the Pistons won 64 games, most by convincing margins.
But the Cavaliers discovered a glitch.
Detroit had become so accustomed to blowing away its opponents that it no longer appeared comfortable in close games, particularly against an underdog such as Cleveland.
In the Pistons’ two victories, they won by an average of 16.5 points. The Cavs’ three wins have been by an average of 4.3.
Brown has outcoached Saunders in the all-important fourth quarter throughout the series, including drawing up Drew Gooden’s winning layup with 27.8 seconds remaining in Game 5.
The Cavaliers’ streak of winning close games started during the regular season. They are 17-2 in their past 19 games decided by four points or less, 5-0 in the playoffs.
"We have been doing that the whole year," Gooden said. "When it is a tight game, I don’t know how we do it, but we always come out victorious."
REVERSING THE PRESSURE

Wallace mouthing off, guaranteeing victory in Game 4, was one of the best things to happen to Cleveland in this series.
As long as the Cavaliers stayed quiet, which Brown advised them to do, all the pressure was on the Pistons.
When Detroit didn’t come through, it put an incredible strain on the Pistons for Game 5 and caused them to play even tighter. Several Pistons players admitted as much Thursday.
A flustered Detroit squad left the door open for the Cavs to steal one on the road and set up today’s elimination game.
Cleveland will have some history on its side. Teams that take a 3-2 lead in a seven-game series win 73 percent of the time.
"Now we’re in a situation where we can’t feel sorry for ourselves," Saunders said. "We know we’ve got a tough road now. Cleveland is playing extremely well. LeBron is playing unbelievable. But that doesn’t mean the series is over."
KEEPING FOCUS

Brown turned a devastating situation—the death of Larry Hughes’ younger brother Justin — into a rallying cry for the team.
The Cavs are missing Hughes’ presence both on and off the court, but Brown has made it a point to bring the team closer together and develop a bunker mentality.
"We’ve all dedicated this whole thing to Larry, his family and Justin," James said. "It’s added more energy and more will to want to win."
James said yesterday that he believes there’s a chance Hughes could return for Game 6.
Brown, similar to his motto "one day, one game at a time," said it’s still day to day.
— James Walker • [email protected]

 

[akronbuck]

As of now there isn't a comparison between Lebron and Jordan. IIRC Jordan was still a Jr at NC at this point of his career. Thanks to the change in the draft age Lebron is going to have a lot of records that will never be broken.[/quote

HOW isn't there a comparison. Comparing those 2 in the 2nd series of there first playoffs. About the same stats but , there is a difference HUGE AGE DIFFERENCE.

Would have Jordan done what Lebron has done in his first 3 seasons?

NO-WAY

PIPPEN was a star playing with Jordan, what did he do at houston, nothing.'
Everybody is still jocking Jordan as the best ever but, when a past player that became a big-time star because of playing with Jordan say he would take LEBRON if he had to pick today. That should say it all.

 

[exhawg]

HOW isn't there a comparison. Comparing those 2 in the 2nd series of there first playoffs. About the same stats but , there is a difference HUGE AGE DIFFERENCE.

Would have Jordan done what Lebron has done in his first 3 seasons?

NO-WAY

PIPPEN was a star playing with Jordan, what did he do at houston, nothing.'
Everybody is still jocking Jordan as the best ever but, when a past player that became a big-time star because of playing with Jordan say he would take LEBRON if he had to pick today. That should say it all.

There ISN'T a comparison because Lebron is way ahead of where Jordan was at the same age. Have you not been paying attention to this thread to know that I'm a huge Cavs fan? I would never bash Lebron. BTW Jordan didn't have a second series of his first playoffs IIRC.

 

[Captain Hindsight]

Wow, if the Cavs pull off the "unexpected" upset tonight in Cleveland, I can't imagine how crazy the arena and the city of Cleveland will be, tonight.

 

[DDOTT]

The Eastern Conference Champions will prevail tonight, but you can see the difference in coaches Larry Brown and Flip Saunders.

 

[OH10]

The Eastern Conference Champions will prevail tonight, but you can see the difference in coaches Larry Brown and Flip Saunders.

I agree.

I do have one question for the Cavs' fans on the board. Which would rather have had:

1. Lose game 5, win game 6, lose game 7.

2. Win game 5, lose game 6, lose game 7.

I choose option #1, because if 2 happens, it almost looks like we choked. Option 1 would have just meant that home court advantage prevailed in a great series.

 

[Brutus1]

3. Win game 6. No need to play game 7.


I can't see another win in Detroit. In the words of Elvis,
"It's now or Never"