This is why i don't like the Theo/Sheed line-up against Z/Ben. If Ben's guarding Sheed, then we need to attack the basket and take adavantage of the fact that he's so slow. Dice can do it. Amir can do it, and Max can do it. Having Theo in just gives Z a break.

The key to this game for me was that DET didn't focus 5 guys on James and let the "others" kill them. This put them in better position to rebound. Speaking of rebounds, the Cavs are more than LeBron. Their O rebounding is a definite weapon.

Night & day difference when DET pushed the ball v. halfcourt. They need to play like that against every team.

That was enjoyable or as enjoyable as can be. I am so beaten down from the last few years that I can't tell what's real from the "fools gold". When DET plays well against good teams, I worry that they're showing their hand.

i'm proud of u, 33. Now was that so harrrd??

It was very difficult. I'm never doing it again LOL

Thanks for posting. NBA TV went to the studio, so we out in the burbs didn't see this. Loved The Final Countdown theme as they raised the banner.

i really like the gameplan. we've got talented offensive players all around, so we focused rip on defending james up close and physical and not worry about his offense, while giving tay a break and eliminating pavlovic as any sort of threat, since there's no way he can beat tay. afflalo continued it and did a good job. as long as we stay up in lebron's face we can throw him off, even at the cost of some early foul trouble or less offense from rip. you saw that lbj checked out of the game before too long.

i like pairing theo and max. varejao, as much as i dislike him, is a force when offensive rebounding, so it's good to have theo, max, and dice to stay physical with him. stuckey continues to get his hands on loose balls (har har) and has a much better leaping ability than i thought. would a 6' guard block one of wally's shots? no, but stuckey at 6'5" could, and did.

i think the key here was that we just beat the cavs up physically (and thankfully the refs let both teams play), while pushing the ball and forcing cleveland to react to us and defend in transition, which they are terrible at. the other key was doing to their guards what they try to do to chauncey...force them to work just to get the ball up the court, challenge them defensively, and take the ball out of lbj's hands.

great game all around.

Apparently Jack McCloskey gave the Pistons a pep talk before the game. Tay kept saying how great it was in the post-game LOL.

Really?

I was wondering if they put forth a little extra effort because of JM night. That would be a little tacky to have all that ceremony for one of the most important guys in franchise history and then give a half ass effort on the court.

Lets hope he's there to give pep talks before all the home playoff games....I think I already mentioned this a few posts back

Why else would the refs let us go Bad Boy on Bron?
Wasn't this the nite Sheed told courtside radio he fouled him twice? And got away clean.