# Playoff Game #6 | Pistons @ Cavs | 5/19/2006



## remy23

_*Game 6*_


*Detroit Pistons* *(2-3) @* *Cleveland Cavaliers** (3-2)*

_*Friday, May 19, 2006*_
*Time:* 4:00pm PT, 7:00pm ET
*TV:* *ESPN*
*Radio:* *WTAM 1100*
*Location:* *Quicken Loans Arena*, Cleveland, Ohio

*HEAD COACHES*


*PROBABLE STARTERS*



*DETROIT PISTONS’ BENCH*


*CLEVELAND CAVALIERS’ BENCH*


*DETROIT PISTONS’ NOTES*

*•* Do not get rattled and come out overeager. Detroit needs to make a stand, come out confident and seek to steal the opening quarter. The Pistons need to silence the crowd (if that is humanly possible).

*•* Detroit needs to speed the game up. Take risks and occasionally pressure Cleveland in the backcourt as they bring the ball up. Do not feel content to play Cleveland’s style of basketball. The Pistons need to make some changes in their strategy, which is up to the coaching staff.

*CLEVELAND CAVALIERS’ NOTES*

*•* Cleveland needs to bait Detroit once more into another game of slow, ugly, offensively inconsistent basketball. Cleveland’s defense has stepped up in a major way during this series. The guys need to keep blocking shots, taking charges and slapping at balls. The Cavs need to know that offense won’t close the Pistons out. Stick with the defense, keep playing hard and outhustle Detroit.

*•* LeBron James needs to come out like an assassin. The Cavs need to send Detroit home. Play basketball as you’ve never played basketball before. 

*OVERVIEW*

Cleveland cannot afford to let up after winning Game 5. If the Cavs let up, they’ll disappoint their fans at The Q and run the risk of getting blown out in Game 7. 

*CLEVELAND!!!*

Go where nobody thought you could. Do what nobody believed you would.

*CLEVELAND!!!*


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## Benedict_Boozer

Shock the world mother ****er :biggrin: 

We HAVE to close it out here. Hard to fathom beating the Pistons 4 straight times (has that even happened all year??) but it HAS to happen. I don't like our chances in a game 7 @ Detroit. 

Q will be insane, damn I wish I had tickets.


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## futuristxen

Put the foot to the throat. Destiny is within reach.


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## IbizaXL

Cavs have momentum on their side, are confident, and playing at home. They also recognize that they have to put this Pistons team away for good and this is the best chance to do it. They have to capitalize.


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## Morongk22

Benedict_Boozer said:


> Shock the world mother ****er :biggrin:
> Hard to fathom beating the Pistons 4 straight times (has that even happened all year??) but it HAS to happen. I don't like our chances in a game 7 @ Detroit.


Im pretty sure detroit wasnt beat 3 times in a row before tonight, so anythings possible, I know im gonna be going nuts if it happens


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## Morongk22

The biggest thing that worries me about fridays game is that detroit has been playing down to our level since the 4th quarter of game 2. If they find their niche, we could be in lots of trouble. Hamilton and Billups seem to be running around out there lost until the 4th quarter comes around. We need to do a much better job of jumping on detriot if they come out flat again in game 6.


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## cima

no one is still giving us any credit. detroit is supposedly playing down to the cavs' level...what the heck does that mean? the cavs defense the past three games has been an astonishing improvement. the cavs have just taken their game to a whole new level.

cavs close it out at home on friday. i am pumped.


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## Morongk22

CiMa said:


> no one is still giving us any credit. detroit is supposedly playing down to the cavs' level...what the heck does that mean? the cavs defense the past three games has been an astonishing improvement. the cavs have just taken their game to a whole new level.
> 
> cavs close it out at home on friday. i am pumped.


dont come out here and question my 'respect' for cleveland, i have seen you type that you a lebron fan first then a cavs fan second. I'm the other way around, i was a fan of cleveland before lebron and will still be after lebron.

What i was saying with my statement was true. We are playing great D, better than i've seen from us all season, but detroit is shooting horribly from the field partially because of good D and partially for some other unknown reason. Also, if you didnt watch the last 3 games, they have made some really dumb passes and more mistakes than i have ever seen then make over a stretch. We are talking about a team that didnt lose more than 2 games in a row over the course of 82+games. Just look at the box scores if you still think im wrong.


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## cima

Morongk22 said:


> dont come out here and question my 'respect' for cleveland, i have seen you type that you a lebron fan first then a cavs fan second. I'm the other way around, i was a fan of cleveland before lebron and will still be after lebron.


ummm i wasn't calling you out or questioning your respect buddy. we're all cavs fans here right now, no need to get cranky!


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## Babir

I hope Cavs will finish the series and Rasheed forgets that damned retarded smile! GO CAVS!!!!


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## B_&_B

This is one of those cases where I sure am glad I was wrong. I predicted that the Pistons would sweep the Cavs. :laugh: ONE MORE WIN! GO CAVS!


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## -33-

We Want Cleveland!! We Want Cleveland!!


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## Larry Hughes for Retirement

Shaq_Diesel said:


> We Want Cleveland!! We Want Cleveland!!


We want Miami!! We Want Miami!!


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## Auggie

beat detroit! beat detroit! hell yea good luck yall :banana:


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## Bron_Melo_ROY

This game is ours to lose, this could be the start of a new era in basketball, _The LeBron Era_. We need to make a statement and show Detroit that we are going to be the powerhouses of the Central Division for years to come. LETS GO CAVS!!!


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## remy23

*Yahoo! | NBA | James, Cavaliers coming of age*












> *James, Cavaliers coming of age*
> 
> BY TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
> *May 17, 2006*
> 
> *AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) --* While dissecting Cleveland's latest playoff upset, LeBron James paused in mid-sentence during his postgame news conference to say "Bless You" to a sneezing reporter.
> 
> He hasn't shown the Detroit Pistons any such courtesy.
> 
> James, controlling the game at the both ends of the floor, scored 32 points and moved the Cavaliers within one win of a trip to the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night with an 86-84 victory over the Pistons.
> 
> Playing all but 1:10, James added five rebounds and five assists for the Cavs, who have won three straight over Detroit and can wrap up the series with a win on Friday night in Cleveland.
> 
> He's taking the Cavs to places they've rarely seen before.
> 
> "LeBron is playing unbelievable," Pistons coach Flip Saunders.
> 
> He's making big shots, getting his teammates involved and leading a Cleveland team dealing with the loss of guard Larry Hughes, who has missed three straight games following the death of his younger brother.
> 
> That's a lot for a 21-year-old playoff newcomer to handle. This one is different, though.
> 
> Even in victory, he refused to gloat.
> 
> "It don't mean nothing if we lost the last two games," he said. "It means nothing at all. We don't feel privileged. We don't feel comfortable beating Detroit. That's not what it's about. It's about winning the series. If we go home and lose (on Friday) and lose on Sunday, it means nothing."
> 
> After beating Washington in the first round, the Cavaliers were given little chance against the Pistons, the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions who were the league's best team all season. Predictions of a Detroit sweep looked accurate after the Pistons roughed up Cleveland in Games 1 and 2.
> 
> But a funny thing happened to the Pistons on the way to the NBA Finals.
> 
> Since the fourth quarter of the second game, they have been outplayed and outhustled by the Cavaliers, who are threatening to send Detroit on its summer vacation weeks earlier than anyone ever expected.
> 
> With James leading the way, the Cavaliers are on a roll. They've won three straight playoff games for the first time in franchise history, and a fourth consecutive win would place them in the conference finals for the first time since 1992, when they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
> 
> "After every game, somebody says, 'The Cavs don't have a chance in this game,"' said Donyell Marshall, who had 14 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks, including a crucial one on Tayshaun Prince in the final seconds. "They say, 'The Cavs this, the Cavs that.' Well, we're just going to keep playing."
> 
> Cleveland's locker room was subdued and businesslike following one of the biggest wins in franchise history. The Cavaliers are relative newcomers to the playoffs, making their first appearance since 1998.
> 
> But Marshall, Drew Gooden, Eric Snow and Damon Jones have postseason experience, and they all contributed to another unexpected win.
> 
> "Everybody wrote us off," said Jones, who broke a tie in the fourth quarter with a big 3-pointer. "But we've fought our way back since Game 2 and now we're going home with a chance to move on."
> 
> James is one victory away from toppling the Pistons, the same team that once stood between Jordan and NBA titles.
> 
> Jordan needed four whacks in the postseason to drop the Pistons.
> 
> James may only need one.


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## remy23

*Rasheed Is Still Going At It!!!*












> *James, Cavaliers Show Heart, Stun Passive Pistons*
> 
> Meanwhile, the Pistons seemed more concerned with arguing with referees and straying from their style. In the fourth quarter, Rasheed Wallace and coach Flip Saunders were hit with technical fouls and floor leader Chauncey Billups fouled out.
> 
> *"You saw those calls," Wallace said. "Every time we got close, there seemed to be some (stuff). That leads me to think some other things, but I'm not going to say what those things are."*
> 
> Right down to the final whistle, Detroit seemed to be looking for a call. Along the baseline, Richard Hamilton drew slight contact, leaning out of bounds and letting go of the ball as time expired.


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## G-Force

I am absolutely loving this series. I have been pulling for Cleveland to knock off the Pistons and for Dallas to trounce the Spurs.

One win away from advancing - let's get it done at home and set the NBA on its ear. Go Cavs!


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## CHKNWANG321

tomorrow's game is the biggest game in cavs history


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## STUCKEY!

Yep should be fun.


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## Pioneer10

CHKNWANG321 said:


> tomorrow's game is the biggest game in cavs history


 The Cavs reached the ECF in one of the Price/Daugherty years so no this isn't THE biggest game in Cavs history but it's pretty darn close


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## Bron_Melo_ROY

No Sheed, right?


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## Pioneer10

Bron_Melo_ROY said:


> No Sheed, right?


 Sheed is playing: Miller screwed up on the telecast and though Sheed was going to be suspended but he doesn't have enough techs.


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## Larry Hughes for Retirement

Ya know what is crappy, I watched and its almost true about all 82 home games, if i had to TiVo them or watch the telecast the next afternoon. And of course every minute in the Wizards seriest and the start of the Pistons series, then I move down to Hilton Head, South Carolina for my internship. Out of Ohio and away from all my Cavalier (Cleveland fans) fans, the Cavs were down 0-2 when I left. So I am beginning to think I should never return to Ohio and Cleveland will go undefeated and win rings/titles/super bowls till the end of time?

But once again just like wednesday I will have to tape the game tonight (friday), the Cavaliers are 1-0 when I tape them (wednesday) and 3-0 since I've left Ohio. So we can all hope and pray that this trend continues, keep the fan base and posting alive, cheer alittle extra for me. I will be at work till about midnight with my phone and computer off so no one can let me know what happens only to return and watch it a few hours later.


Lets go Cavs!!!!!!!!!!


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## futuristxen

The media's head is going to explode if the Cavs win this.

Marc Stein walking down the halls of ESPN: "This isn't in the script, this isn't in the script. Darko!!!! Wherefor art thou Darko!!! WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME!!!?"
BJ Armstrong: "I won't let them harm my precious Kobe. What me? I wouldn't hurt a fly. I'm BJ Armstrong."
Scottie Pippen: "Michael who?"
Michael Wilbon: "Dwayne Wade is better than Lebron James. Until Lebron beats Dwayne Wade he hasn't proven anything"
Tony Kornheiser: "Didja see the Sopranos last week Wilbon? Who ya gonna kick out of the hot tub, Tonya Harding, Manute Bol, or the bear falling from the tree?"
Ric Bucher: "What do you mean I can't do a one hour special on Kobe Bryant?"
Will Perdue: "I'm an idiot."

I just realized this, but there are a **** lot of old Bulls players working for ESPN these days.


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## knicksfan89

i wish you luck tonight, hopefully remove these BLEEPS from the playoffs


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## knicksfan89

1992 was the last time you made it to the ECF


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## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 05/19/2006 | Articles*












> *Irritation worth having for 'Z'*
> 
> By Tom Reed
> 
> 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.





> *Series is ripe for Cavs to pick*
> 
> By Terry Pluto
> 
> 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.





> *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
> 
> *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.


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## remy23

*The Plain Dealer | 5/19/2006 | Articles*












> *Pistons by the numbers*
> 
> Friday, May 19, 2006
> 
> *First two games*
> 
> 105.0 points per game
> 
> 47.0 field-goal percentage
> 
> 53.1 3-point percentage
> 
> 9.0 turnovers
> 
> 21.5 assists
> 
> 2.0 shots blocked
> 
> *Last three games*
> 
> 77.7 points per game
> 
> 38.4 field goal percentage
> 
> 30.2 3-point percentage
> 
> 16.7 turnovers
> 
> 14.7 assists
> 
> 6.1 shots blocked
> 
> *The diff*
> 
> - 27.3 points
> 
> - 8.6 field-goal percentage
> 
> - 22.9 3-point percentage
> 
> + 7.7 turnovers
> 
> - 6.8 assists
> 
> + 4.1 shots blocked





> *Five reasons the Cavs can win*
> 
> Friday, May 19, 2006
> 
> *Bill Livingston
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> 5. The Pistons' crowd never went crazy because the Pistons never took the lead in the second half Wednesday, despite tying the score four times. A fast Cavs start sends the ear-splitting Q crowd over the cuckoo's nest and makes it a major energizing factor.
> 
> 4. Foul Ben Wallace anytime he is near the rim with the ball. Wallace was 0-for-7 at the line Wednesday. Fouling him is almost like forcing a turnover.
> 
> 3. Force Rasheed Wallace to defend Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the low post and give Z plenty of touches. Wallace generates most of the Pistons' low-post scoring and can pass out of double teams to open 3-point shooters. If it sounds uncivil to pick on a wounded player with a sprained ankle, remember this is the guy who gashed Z's head.
> 
> 2. Force Detroit guard Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups to win the game. Eric Snow is the Cavs' toughest defender. He has made much of the MVP talk about Billups seem like the hottest air since the wizard was leaving Oz in a balloon.
> 
> 1. Stay close at the end. That way, LeBron James, the best player on the fl oor, can either win the game himself or, because of the way he distorts the Pistons' defense, set up a teammate to win it.





> *CAVALIERS INSIDER*
> *Bench production equals a win*
> 
> Friday, May 19, 2006
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> The play of the Cavaliers' bench has been a key component to the team's 3-2 edge in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
> 
> "In order for us to win, we're going to have to get great production from our bench," LeBron James said.
> 
> The energetic play from Anderson Varejao has been a plus. Varejao has stepped up in place of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who until Game 5, did not play close to his regular-season level.
> 
> Damon Jones has nailed big outside shots and Donyell Marshall has been impressive on the offensive and defensive end. Marshall had 14 points and 13 rebounds in Game 5.
> 
> The Cavs' bench has outscored the Pistons' bench, 13378. Jones said some of the challenges during the regular season prepared the bench for the postseason.
> 
> "We've been put in situations where we've had to step up, we've had injuries and guys have had to step into roles and right now we're experienced," Jones said. "We feel good about coming in and bringing energy. We feel good about our team as a whole. The rhythm that we have as a team right now is really good."
> 
> *Careful celebration:*
> 
> Jones has been on the receiving end of two of the Cavs' celebrations after games and it has been painful.
> 
> The first incident was when the Cavs defeated the Washington Wizards in the first round of the playoffs. Jones nailed the winning shot and seconds later, after the Wizards failed to score, Jones was thrown to the court by James and then Jones was piled on by his teammates.
> 
> Following the end of Game 5, Varejao accidently nailed Jones in the eye during the midst of that celebration.
> 
> "My eye is feeling better now," Jones said. "Andy went to hug Drew [Gooden] for the basket he made at the end of the game and punched me in the eye. We all know that it's easy to take a blow but to take a blow when you don't know it's coming really hurts."
> 
> *Clutch performances:*
> 
> The Cavs have been one of the best clutch teams this season. The Cavs are 34-2 in games decided by four points or less and 5-0 in the postseason.





> *Are you ready to believe?*
> 
> Friday, May 19, 2006
> 
> *Michael Heaton
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> Are we dreaming? Could this really happen? Do we dare to believe?
> 
> Like so many Cleveland sports teams before them, the Cavaliers have put fans smack in the center of an all-too-familiar psychological conundrum: How much emotional investment is wise? Will our hearts be broken again
> 
> Early in the series, conventional wisdom had us happy to take one or two games from the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. Now we're one win away from moving on to the Eastern Conference finals. That's as far as any Cavs team has ever gone.
> 
> The feeling, a bittersweet mix of exhilaration and dread, recalls the storied horrors of The Drive, The Fumble and, most appropriately, The Shot. Those, and Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown one more time. Is it our fate to have hopes dashed? Were we born to lose?
> 
> Pessimism springs eternal.
> 
> Jared Chaney, chief communications officer for Medical Mutual of Ohio, has been a season-ticket holder for six years.
> 
> "I don't get that excited," said Chaney.
> 
> "But I was in the group that thought they'd take one game from the Pistons. And I would have been happy with that. But they changed the paradigm, as they say. As Bill Murray said, we're looking at a Cinderella story."
> 
> Great victory comes with great sacrifice. If it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, then Cleveland sports fans just may be some of the most love-scarred people on the planet. If our crime is caring too much, then so be it.
> 
> "It's a good problem to have," Rocky River psychologist Joseph Rock said of the anxiety that comes with playoff games.
> 
> "The problem with Cleveland fans is that we have the feeling this is the last chance we'll ever have. And given our sports history, that's understandable. We just have to remind ourselves: With LeBron, anything is possible."
> 
> On Wednesday night the Cavaliers stepped up against all odds. Perhaps tonight, it's time Cavs fans forgot history and did the same.





> *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."


----------



## remy23

*ESPN.com | NBA/PLAYOFFS 2006 | Cavaliers guard Hughes to rejoin team for Game 6*



> *Cavs guard Hughes to rejoin team for Game 6*
> 
> *CLEVELAND --* Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes will rejoin the team Friday night for Game 6 against Detroit after missing the previous three games because of his brother's death.
> 
> Hughes spoke with Cavs coach Mike Brown on Thursday night and told him he was coming to Cleveland.
> 
> "We had a good conversation," Brown said following Friday's shootaround. "Obviously, as time goes on, he's a little bit better than the day of the funeral."
> 
> Hughes' playing status was still uncertain leading to one of the biggest games in Cavs history. Brown said it was not clear if Hughes would dress for the game or just be on hand to support his teammates.
> 
> Brown was certain he would not start Hughes.
> 
> "It wouldn't be fair to put him in after missing a week of basketball," Brown said. "We've made some changes in what we're doing offensively and defensively. I don't have any concerns about him dressing or not."
> 
> Flip Murray has started the past three games in place of Hughes, who missed 45 games of his first season in Cleveland because of a serious finger injury. Murray has averaged 9.3 points in the three starts.
> 
> Hughes played in Games 1 and 2, but left the Cavaliers on May 11 to be with his family following the death of his 20-year-old brother, Justin. The younger Hughes, who was raised by his brother, was born with a heart defect and underwent a heart transplant in 1997.
> 
> Following their Game 4 win at home, the Cavaliers flew to St. Louis and attended Justin's funeral before heading to Detroit. They got a chance to visit briefly with Hughes, who wrote: "I am my brother's keeper. My life is his world. His life is my everything," as a tribute to his little brother.
> 
> Hughes' story has provided inspiration for the Cavaliers, who dropped the first two games of the series but now have the Pistons, the NBA's best team during the regular season, one loss from elimination.
> 
> "Larry's situation I think has helped us through the last three games," forward Donyell Marshall said. "With him being here and able to experience it firsthand would be an emotional lift for us as well as him. Especially if we can win it. He can be here and be a part of it.
> 
> "He has always been a part of it spiritually, to be here physically, it would something real nice to be able to give him."


Welcome back, Larry.


----------



## Bron_Melo_ROY

*Re: ESPN.com | NBA/PLAYOFFS 2006 | Cavaliers guard Hughes to rejoin team for Game 6*

Do you guys think that Larry is actually gonna play?


----------



## -33-

*Re: ESPN.com | NBA/PLAYOFFS 2006 | Cavaliers guard Hughes to rejoin team for Game 6*

Well.....I have to say it "GO CAVS!"

It seems to me that being in Ohio, and being in NW Ohio, where you have a pretty good mix of Cavs and Pistons fans, that both teams are really confident, but the Cavs fans seem to have this little "fear" almost in their minds of this almost expected failure b/c it's "Cleveland". I was talking with a bunch of guys earlier today at the rec center, and I have to agree...it's a must-win for both teams tonight. Detroit has to win or it's over...but if Cleveland loses and has to go to Detroit for the series, there will be quite a loss to the Cavs too. The Pistons aren't deep...really only 6 men deep...so if you can get LeBron going and get them into foul trouble, especially on the perimeter, it might be the end of the line for Detroit...


----------



## remy23

*Yahoo! | NBA | NBA Playoffs*












> *Brand recognition*
> 
> *VIEWERS GUIDE FOR FRIDAY*
> 
> *Game 6:* *Detroit Pistons* *at* *Cleveland Cavaliers*. This is the defining moment of the Pistons' season. Everything they have worked for and built in this magical year is on the line, thanks to lackluster performances in the last three games. Detroit has been very good offensively all season but suddenly finds itself slumping. The Pistons have committed 47 turnovers, shot 39 percent from the floor, 30 percent from three-point range and averaged 78 points a game. Cleveland deserves credit for playing great defense, and inside men Anderson Varejao and Drew Gooden have been effective. The result is that these games are being played at a slow pace with very slim margins throughout. Think the Cavs feel confident about LeBron James' ability to take over in the clutch? Of Cleveland's seven playoff victories, five have been decided by one or two points. LeBron is simply dominating play and dictating the action in the final minutes, so if the game is close, Detroit could be in some trouble. The Pistons would be wise to increase the tempo a bit, get Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups some easy looks and get the game into the 90s. Otherwise LeBron could be poised to finish off a monumental upset.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: ESPN.com | NBA/PLAYOFFS 2006 | Cavaliers guard Hughes to rejoin team for Game 6*



Shaq_Diesel said:


> Well.....I have to say it "GO CAVS!"
> 
> It seems to me that being in Ohio, and being in NW Ohio, where you have a pretty good mix of Cavs and Pistons fans, that both teams are really confident, but the Cavs fans seem to have this little "fear" almost in their minds of this almost expected failure b/c it's "Cleveland". I was talking with a bunch of guys earlier today at the rec center, and I have to agree...it's a must-win for both teams tonight. Detroit has to win or it's over...but if Cleveland loses and has to go to Detroit for the series, there will be quite a loss to the Cavs too. The Pistons aren't deep...really only 6 men deep...so if you can get LeBron going and get them into foul trouble, especially on the perimeter, it might be the end of the line for Detroit...


That's definitely the vibe. As a whole, even some of the more die hard Cavs fans I know are REAL apprehensive. Almost like they don't want to get too excited because of the inevitable letdown. 

Personally i'm more anxious about this game than any in a LONG time. This pretty much is our Game 7.


----------



## futuristxen

The Larry Hughes subplot is going to be very interesting. I think the team really wants to give him a win to cheer him up in this game back. And I hope Larry is able to have the game of his life tonight. It would be a great story.


----------



## remy23

^ Yup. Not only was going to the funeral a nice gesture by the team in the name of unity, it reminded the Cavalier players what they're playing for. It's more than just winning for the franchise and the city of Cleveland. They're doing it for Justin Hughes. Seeing Larry on the bench is only going to remind the guys that it's about more than just basketball.


----------



## Pioneer10

I'm actually feeling quite nervous about this game right now: lol.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Man if we won this game, we'd have beaten the Pistons *4 straight times*. That is hard to believe....


----------



## futuristxen

The media is so annoying. If Lebron were putting up these numbers and they were losing they would say Detroit had stopped him. The story of this series is Anderson. It's ridiculous he isn't getting pub. It's because the media is sleeping. They aren't paying attention whatsoever to the Cavs. Hell they can't even say his name.

Lebron's been awesome, he's the driving force, but the reason they are doing this **** is because of their team defense.


----------



## quench23

game time


----------



## futuristxen

haha everyone on ESPN picks Detroit...again. They've been picking Detroit in every game of the series.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Hmm the whole pregame crew picks against us. Cleveland will just have to keep fighting for respect.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Nice cutting action by Drew. Need a strong start


----------



## remy23

Big dunk by Drew. Play big!


----------



## futuristxen

We are beating *** on the offensive glass.


----------



## remy23

Go Cavs!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Flip is a damn gunner

Nice start defensively again by the boys


----------



## futuristxen

FLIP FLIP FLIP FLIP!!!


Dude can't make a layup to save his life, but his aggression on both ends is invaluable.

We got swagger baby. We've got to maintain this attitude. Because right now we are looking to punk the pistons.


----------



## quench23

i love the crowd


----------



## futuristxen

We've got the best crowd in the playoffs. They must have lowered the ticket prices to let the maniacs in.

This reminds me of the Cavs when Price/Nance and them were there, as far as the crowd. I was a bulls fan back then and thought the Cavs fans were the most rowdy and annoying in the league.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Man the Pistons look terrible


----------



## remy23

Big Z with another dunk.


----------



## quench23

drew, do something


----------



## futuristxen

Turnovers are killing us.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Alot of blown opportunities early.


----------



## futuristxen

On the plus side, we don't really want to get out to a big early lead, and let off the pedal. We're in a good place. Just keep up the defensive intensity, and take better care of the ball on offense.

Mike Brown slept on his early subs.


----------



## futuristxen

The Pistons look scared, folks.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

futuristxen said:


> On the plus side, we don't really want to get out to a big early lead, and let off the pedal. We're in a good place. Just keep up the defensive intensity, and take better care of the ball on offense.
> 
> Mike Brown slept on his early subs.


True, everytime we get out to a big lead early we blow the game.


----------



## remy23

Cleveland is playing the lanes well on defense and continuing to hustle. If the team stays solid on the defensive end and keeps rebounding the ball well, hopefully the turnovers will sort themselves out. We've made some mistakes but the play is consistent overall.


----------



## Pioneer10

Benedict_Boozer said:


> Alot of blown opportunities early.


 Too man TO's early: need to handle the ball better.

Pistons also scoring a lot easier right now


----------



## Pioneer10

Crap: Detroit get the lead


----------



## Pioneer10

Might need Jones and AV in soon.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Hamilton is always trying to hand check, stop crying


----------



## Pioneer10

We're not playing well at all right now


----------



## futuristxen

Got to cut the turnovers.


----------



## remy23

Cleveland trails 19-20 after the first quarter.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Pioneer10 said:


> We're not playing well at all right now


We haven't played well offensively this entire series really.

Still only down 1, couldve been worse


----------



## K1X

Man ca flip make a J or what? The guy take the most shot but still shoot the worst, might want larry in there before he shoot you out of this.


----------



## futuristxen

K1X said:


> Man ca flip make a J or what? The guy take the most shot but still shoot the worst, might want larry in there before he shoot you out of this.


He's lost his shot in the playoffs. Shooting 22 percent. Usually that J is money.

I like where we are at. We got past the early jitters emotions. Now we need to settle down on offense and get more efficient.


----------



## K1X

Yeah but come on the guy is like 1 of 8 right now he s just a liability a TO waitig to happen, coach got to sub him...


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

It would be nice if we had some better spacing on Lebron's post ups.


----------



## futuristxen

K1X said:


> Yeah but come on the guy is like 1 of 8 right now he s just a liability a TO waitig to happen, coach got to sub him...


His defense has been good though. Lots of steals.


----------



## futuristxen

Andy has got to work on his post defense for next year just so we don't have to worry about fouls.


----------



## futuristxen

I love that the refs are calling that garbage that detroit has been trying to pull on James. You can't handcheck when the guy is facing the basket, but Rip and Lindsey do it all the time. It's the only way they can keep Lebron from getting around them.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

futuristxen said:


> I love that the refs are calling that garbage that detroit has been trying to pull on James. You can't handcheck when the guy is facing the basket, but Rip and Lindsey do it all the time. It's the only way they can keep Lebron from getting around them.


Amen.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

LOL @ the Pistons getting called for all their handchecks now.


----------



## remy23

Sweet cut by Drew.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Nice hard foul on Sheed

We're getting alot of pts in the paint early


----------



## remy23

Cleveland is facing a zone now.


----------



## Pioneer10

God I can't stand the Pistons' whining


----------



## futuristxen

I feel bad for Flip because these are shots he makes blindfolded.

On the plus side, he's making himself cheaper and cheaper.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Too bad Brown doesn't have confidence in Sasha, I could see him knocking down these open looks Flip is missing right now


----------



## futuristxen

remy23 said:


> Cleveland is facing a zone now.


Brown needs to come with Damon in place of Flip to answer.


----------



## Pioneer10

I think we should consider putting Hughes in: get the crowd excited and Flip just is costing us big time right now - he's WIDE open


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Strong Start by Gooden.. this is gonna be close.. :clap:


----------



## futuristxen

Keepin' it close.


----------



## Pioneer10

We just aren't finishing these quarters strong .

Zone is hurting us right now


----------



## Pioneer10

We can't buy an open jumper . Lebron was wide open as well


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

The team inproved with Varejao.. gotta put him in together with gooden :banana:


----------



## remy23

LeBron needs to think mid rather than long. At halftime, Cleveland needs to come up with zone busting line ups and strategies.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Zone baiting Lebron into long jumpers.


----------



## futuristxen

When you play almost 48 minutes a night, you probably should not be shooting long jumpers, because your legs probably aren't under you.

Lebron needs to stay away from the outside shot. He's had some really awful misses the last two games. His balance doesn't look right on those shots.


----------



## Pioneer10

remy23 said:


> LeBron needs to think mid rather than long. At halftime, Cleveland needs to come up with zone busting line ups and strategies.


 The zone really stopped our momentum in the second quarter.


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

We gotta keep trying.. specially by the end of the game, jumpers are crucial.. go lebron!
We need to hit a feel in a row.. just as a confidence booster..


----------



## Pioneer10

F. Saunders was one of the first coaches to use the zone in Minnesota so not a big surprise he sprung it on us.


----------



## futuristxen

Good first half by the Cavs. We got the turnovers under control. The zone is giving us problems, but we're getting good movement on our offense and defense. We're not giving up dunks to Wallace.


----------



## Pioneer10

WTF snow


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

******* play by Snow


----------



## remy23

Cleveland trails 37-38 at halftime.


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Where's AV!?


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Lebron struggling with his shot and we're still only down 1. 

We're getting plenty of looks in the paint, defense has been solid. Need to start hitting some outside shots to open up the defense.


----------



## futuristxen

Rafaelaraujotody said:


> Where's AV!?



Look for him again in the fourth. AV plays when the game is in the balance.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

You know what, the Pistons are shooting 50% to our 40% and only up 1. That really bodes well for us in the 2nd half..


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

futuristxen said:


> Look for him again in the fourth. AV plays when the game is in the balance.


Fair enough.. :banana: 
Gooden is having a good game anyway..


----------



## Pioneer10

Our frontcourt has been dominant and kept us in the game: we havent got squat form our perimeter guys:

*just 2 points from Snow, Flip, and Jones on 1 for 12 shooting*


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Pioneer10 said:


> Our frontcourt has been dominant and kept us in the game: we havent got squat form our perimeter guys:
> 
> *just 2 points from Snow, Flip, and Jones on 1 for 12 shooting*


Theme of the season. Hopefully one of them comes out hot in the 2nd half


----------



## remy23

Despite shooting poorly, defense is keeping Cleveland in the game. While we'll need a little more offense to surge ahead of the Pistons, if we get a lead on them, it will come down to defense to hold these guys off. All the poor shooting aside, I like the pace of this game. We've baited Detroit into a slow game of ugly basketball in the first half. Let's see if we can get them playing our style of basketball for another half. All Cleveland can ask for is to play the game on their own terms, not having those terms dictated by their opponent. If Cleveland loses, then they lose on their own terms. And if Cleveland wins, they'll win on their own terms, playing how they want to play.


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

remy23 said:


> Despite shooting poorly, defense is keeping Cleveland in the game. While we'll need a little more offense to surge ahead of the Pistons, if we get a lead on them, it will come down to defense to hold these guys off. All the poor shooting aside, I like the pace of this game. We've baited Detroit into a slow game of ugly basketball in the first half. Let's see if we can get them playing our style of basketball for another half. All Cleveland can ask for is to play the game on their own terms, not having those terms dictated by their opponent. If Cleveland loses, then they lose on their own terms. And if Cleveland wins, they'll win on their own terms, playing how they want to play.


That's All Folks! :banana:


----------



## Pioneer10

Don't like the feel of this game at all right now: would consider bringing in AV and Hughes.

Rip looks like he feels it and I'd take Hughes D right now as Flip aint doing much on offense


----------



## Pioneer10

King James!!!


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

God damn! lebron can't buy a basket.. :curse:


----------



## remy23

What a DUNK by James!!!!!


----------



## Pioneer10

Dammit why is Lebron not a Prince?


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Rafaelaraujotody said:


> God damn! lebron can't buy a basket.. :curse:


Amem lebron! finally!


----------



## Pioneer10

Eric Snow playing great D.

Lebron starting to feel it


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

3 baaaaaaall! Yay!


----------



## remy23

Great fastbreak. 11-3 Cleveland run.

Go Cavs!!


----------



## Pioneer10

Snow was like I ain't going against B. Wallace when I got Lebron


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Man the crowd feeds off Lebron.

The Q is rockin!


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

NOw.. that's the bball that got us here! go cavs! go king!


----------



## IbizaXL

plz let there be Wade vs Jamesart II


----------



## remy23

LeBron to the hole!!!!


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Anyone knows a website that i can listen to the game? I hate to follow it only through data..


----------



## remy23

Cleveland has to watch the 3-point line. Detroit is trying to shoot their way to a win.


----------



## futuristxen

Pshhh. If those are the best shots they can get, more power to them.

Just keep it close.


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

ouch.. that hurts.. i hate sheed..


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Pistons living and dying with the 3pt shots.


----------



## remy23

Rafaelaraujotody said:


> Anyone knows a website that i can listen to the game? I hate to follow it only through data..


1) First click on this site *Click Me!*
2) Then click on the part that says *Click Here to Launch the Stream*

Edit: I just tried a few times with no luck. Darn.


----------



## Pioneer10

God how did we lose the lead 

I just want a big enough run to pull this team away but there go the Pistons again


----------



## Pioneer10

Dammit bad foul by AV: but that looked clean


----------



## Pioneer10

We're catching a huge break with these Pistons misses at the line


----------



## Pioneer10

****ing A: big shot by Wallace

NICE FLIP


----------



## remy23

Cleveland trails 61-63 going into the fourth quarter.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Damn Sheed just raining 3's tonight. 

Nice play by Flip to end the qtr


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Pioneer10 said:


> God how did we lose the lead
> 
> I just want a big enough run to pull this team away but there go the Pistons again


This is going down to the wire. If we lose it will be by like 4-6 pts, if we win it will prob be by one possession again.

Just prepare yourself for the heart attack


----------



## futuristxen

Sheed is just going to chuck the 3 whether we are contesting it or not.

Big Play by Flip to end the quarter.

We are right there again going into the fourth!

Right where we want the game. Now we just have to sprint to the finish. Fannntastic.

Bron's gotta smell how close he is to it, and just go. A 20 point fourth from him should win it.


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

remy23 said:


> 1) First click on this site *Click Me!*
> 2) Then click on the part that says *Click Here to Launch the Stream*
> 
> Edit: I just tried a few times with no luck. Darn.


Same thing here.. just an add.. then silence..


----------



## remy23

Since Rasheed's ankle is tender or what not, Cleveland should be keen to the fact he's playing like a spot up shooter for the most part. Even when Wallace goes into the post, he's not making swift, powerful moves to the rim. Maybe Cleveland is thrown off by Wallace playing differently but they need to get hip to it now.


----------



## Pioneer10

That was a terrible play by Lebron there 

I'm going to have my heart attack early today.

How was that a foul on AV?


----------



## K1X

this is lebron time to rise to the occasion...spotlights are on...


----------



## Pioneer10

Come on hit you're FT's Lebron


----------



## Pioneer10

Some bad offensive sets by us: Lebron needs the ball on every possession


----------



## Pioneer10

Flip is just not good when he handles the ball a lot: slash or shoot don't dribble with him


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Pioneer10 said:


> That was a terrible play by Lebron there
> 
> I'm going to have my heart attack early today.
> 
> How was that a foul on AV?


WTF?! Man.. talk about no respect from the refs..


----------



## futuristxen

Flip just needs to get out of his own head. He's thinking too much about his struggles. He needs to put it on attack.

But yeah. Gotta get the ball to Lebron pretty much everytime down.

Just keepin' it close :biggrin:


----------



## Pioneer10

Wow Marshall playing great right now: let's get this lead back now


----------



## K1X

donnyel and damon hitting 3s wouldn t hurt right right since they were brought in for the task...


----------



## Pioneer10

We cannot let that ****er Rasheed beat us. Just not him


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

You can taste the tension in the air! go JAMES!


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Lebron.. 6 TO.. sucks


----------



## Pioneer10

The Pistons just have so many mismatches they can exploit when they're on O while we only have James. 

It's going to take a super human effort by Lebron = Detroit has had a lot of easy looks they bricked. They'll start hitting those shots soon


----------



## Pioneer10

I think we might need Z in there for some offense


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

I don't like our current lineup...


----------



## Pioneer10

Why didn't Brown just try Hughes in the third? Flip has been pretty much bad all game


----------



## remy23

Big shot James.


----------



## Pioneer10

How about the elbow by Billups? Blah


----------



## remy23

Thank you LeBron. Thank you.


----------



## futuristxen

just keeping it close :biggrin:


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

James looking to attack the hole here..I think we're still in business


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Omg!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Pioneer10

Lebron playing like Magic again: keeping everyone involved till he can bulldoze his way to the basket in the 4th.

The Jordan comparisons are just dumb he doesn't play anything like Jordan


----------



## Pioneer10

How is that ****ing foul? He jumped into AV


----------



## Pioneer10

That was a bull**** shot by Billups. God I hope we don't lose this on that crap shot


----------



## Pioneer10

Not looking good


----------



## K1X

needsome 3s from marshal and jones


----------



## futuristxen

Damnit. We Had This One!


----------



## futuristxen

Rebounds
Omfiguhgouhoeiwhgsdoighdsogdsighslf


----------



## Pioneer10

Wtf


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Unbelievable.


----------



## -33-

u blew every chance u could possibly ask for....


----------



## Pioneer10

No loose ball fouls there on the pistons?


----------



## Pioneer10

OMG Lebron should have just shot it


----------



## -33-

what the **** is LeBron doing?????

Detroit vs. Miami afterall....way to blow my dream Cavs


----------



## quench23

Cavs Cant Rebound,

Lebron Too Scared To Shoot The 3


----------



## futuristxen

Goddamnit. Such ****ing ****. How can you give up that many offensive rebounds in the final minute? They HAD THIS ONE. And then...blegh.

Oh well. I picked Cavs in 7 anyways. But seriously. Hold on to the ****ing ball you douchebags.


----------



## futuristxen

Shaq_Diesel said:


> what the **** is LeBron doing?????


Open 3 in the corner. Flip has hit so many of those already and he was wide open.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Ridiculous way to lose a ball game. Pistons throwing up garbage luck shots and getting 5 offensive rebs on the last 2 possession.


----------



## DemonaL

james shouldnt have passed it...


----------



## -33-

futuristxen said:


> Open 3 in the corner. Flip has hit so many of those already and he was wide open.


You had a timeout, plus you're down 3...why is the MVP kicking it to Flip Murray????? Stupid play


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Damn the Pistons got lucky, golden chance to put them away...


----------



## Pioneer10

Lucky shots by the Pistons and blown rebounding oppurtunities cost us


----------



## futuristxen

Man. We could have had this. But we didn't get the ball back for a minute and a half at the end of the game.

Now we've got two more days of Pistons bull**** to listen to.

Oh well. Cavs can do this.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

you guys had your chance, no offense but if you cnat get a rebound then you dont deserve it, I hate detroit..I dont think you guys can beat htem in Detroit now in a game 7 atmisphere, you guys had your chance couldnt grab it, made the same mistake we did last year


----------



## Pioneer10

God I'm heartbroken


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Man 2 pt loss.....****


----------



## remy23

*Box Score*

*Detroit 84, Cleveland 82*


----------



## DemonaL

james had it, he was runnin in for a lay up and kicked it out, he coulda came out w/ a 3 pt play... dumb decision by him, plus giving it to a bad shooter...


----------



## Pioneer10

Why didn't Brown even try to play Hughes: the emotion would have been awesome and Flip played like absolute crap today


----------



## K1X

well, you guys better play hugues next game cuz flip shooting 2 of 12 again won t cut i detroit...good luck.


----------



## futuristxen

Shaq_Diesel said:


> You had a timeout, plus you're down 3...why is the MVP kicking it to Flip Murray????? Stupid play



THAT"S THE PLAY THEY DO!! IT'S WORKED AT LEAST TWICE IN RECENT MEMORY! What's wrong with a wide open 3 pointer at the buzzer? Isn't that what Brown would have tried to draw up if they called a timeout?

Name me one superstar who doesn't make that pass? Jordan made that move to Paxson and Kerr multiple times in their championship run. Kobe did it a few times in this playoffs, and many times to Fisher and Horry. That's a smart basketball play!

AGH. I can't believe they couldn't get the rebound for a minute and a half.


----------



## K1X

there is no way your coach is dumb enough to not play your second best player in conf semi 2 games in a row when he s healthy pumped and ready to go...


----------



## futuristxen

We'll win it in Game 7. Keep up the doubt. We weren't even supposed to win a game according to most of you. Where's CiMa at? That's my homey. We know what's up here.


----------



## Pioneer10

Not using the TO was stupid. I don't mind Lebron passing it but come on you got to call the TO


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Pioneer10 said:


> Why didn't Brown even try to play Hughes: the emotion would have been awesome and Flip played like absolute crap today


i agree with you to some degree, he miht as well played Hughes since Flip wasnt playing well, i mean if flip was playing well then there's no need but he wasn't, and i agree w/ you that that would have added so much more emtion i mean think about the ovation Hughes would get from the crowd when he would check in and then when he'd score..Oh my, it would be very loud in that building..


----------



## Pioneer10

WTF did AV have to foul out again? No way we would have lost those boards with him there


----------



## Rafaelaraujotody

Anyone believe we have a chance next game?


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Rafaelaraujotody said:


> Anyone believe we have a chance next game?


no offense but no, Detroit comes up big when they need to, honestly they got ya'll right where they want you..


----------



## futuristxen

Of course the Cavs have a chance in Game 7. Larry will be back playing. We got these guys. We've already won one in Auburn Hills, we will do it again. Man, most of you saying we have no chance said we had no chance in game 3, no chance in game 4, no chance in game 5, in game 6 you let up a little, but most still picked the pistons. So really, people picking the Pistons to win Game 7--par the ****ing course.


----------



## remy23

If Cleveland can seduce Detroit into another one of these slow, ugly, down to the last second type games, of course the Cavaliers have a chance to win. These type of games require both teams to play near perfect basketball. Whoever cracks first loses. Mistakes in those type of games are greatly magnified. When you play this kind of basketball, essentially you're rolling dice. Detroit may want to play a more uptempo game with everything riding on Game 7. Does Detroit want to gamble with Cleveland again or do they want to force the Cavs to step outside their comfort zone? Time will tell.


----------



## TwiBlueG35

I think both teams have chance to advance, considering there were so many close games this postseason. But I think Detroit Pistons have more chance. If they are not so overconfident and actually play Pistons basketball, plus homecourt advantage, Pistons should win game 7.


----------



## Pioneer10

<table class="pTitle" style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" bordercolor="#d2dbe7" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tbody><tr align="center" bgcolor="#d2dbe7" height="12"><td colspan="3"> </td><td colspan="3" align="center">Field Goals</td><td colspan="3" align="center">Rebounds</td><td colspan="6"> </td></tr> <tr align="center;" bgcolor="#d2dbe7" height="12" valign="middle"><td> </td><td>pos</td><td>min</td><td>fgm-a</td><td>3pm-a</td><td>ftm-a</td><td>off</td><td>def</td><td>tot</td><td>ast</td><td>pf</td><td>st</td><td>to</td><td>bs</td><td>pts</td></tr> <tr class="playerStatsHover" height="17" valign="middle"> <td class="playerName" id="name_pl_htm-0040500206-1" align="left">R. Murray</td> <td id="pos_pl_htm-0040500206-1">G</td> <td id="stat_min_pl_htm-0040500206-1">32:40</td> <td id="stat_fg_pl_htm-0040500206-1">2-10</td> <td id="stat_3p_pl_htm-0040500206-1">0-2</td> <td id="stat_ft_pl_htm-0040500206-1">0-0</td> <td id="stat_oreb_pl_htm-0040500206-1">1</td> <td id="stat_dreb_pl_htm-0040500206-1">2</td> <td id="stat_treb_pl_htm-0040500206-1">3</td> <td id="stat_ast_pl_htm-0040500206-1">3</td> <td id="stat_pf_pl_htm-0040500206-1">3</td> <td id="stat_stl_pl_htm-0040500206-1">2</td> <td id="stat_to_pl_htm-0040500206-1">0</td> <td id="stat_blk_pl_htm-0040500206-1">0</td> <td id="stat_tpts_pl_htm-0040500206-1">4</td> </tr> <tr class="playerStats" height="17" valign="middle"> <td class="playerName" id="name_pl_htm-0040500206-2" align="left">E. Snow</td> <td id="pos_pl_htm-0040500206-2">G</td> <td id="stat_min_pl_htm-0040500206-2">28:15</td> <td id="stat_fg_pl_htm-0040500206-2">1-3</td> <td id="stat_3p_pl_htm-0040500206-2">0-0</td> <td id="stat_ft_pl_htm-0040500206-2">0-0</td> <td id="stat_oreb_pl_htm-0040500206-2">3</td> <td id="stat_dreb_pl_htm-0040500206-2">2</td> <td id="stat_treb_pl_htm-0040500206-2">5</td> <td id="stat_ast_pl_htm-0040500206-2">6</td> <td id="stat_pf_pl_htm-0040500206-2">2</td> <td id="stat_stl_pl_htm-0040500206-2">0</td> <td id="stat_to_pl_htm-0040500206-2">2</td> <td id="stat_blk_pl_htm-0040500206-2">1</td> <td id="stat_tpts_pl_htm-0040500206-2">2</td></tr></tbody></table><table class="pTitle" style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" bordercolor="#d2dbe7" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tbody><tr class="playerStats" height="17" valign="middle"><td class="playerName" id="name_pl_htm-0040500206-8" align="left">D. Jones</td> <td id="pos_pl_htm-0040500206-8"> </td> <td id="stat_min_pl_htm-0040500206-8">11:07</td> <td id="stat_fg_pl_htm-0040500206-8">0-3</td> <td id="stat_3p_pl_htm-0040500206-8">0-3</td> <td id="stat_ft_pl_htm-0040500206-8">0-0</td> <td id="stat_oreb_pl_htm-0040500206-8">0</td> <td id="stat_dreb_pl_htm-0040500206-8">1</td> <td id="stat_treb_pl_htm-0040500206-8">1</td> <td id="stat_ast_pl_htm-0040500206-8">1</td> <td id="stat_pf_pl_htm-0040500206-8">3</td> <td id="stat_stl_pl_htm-0040500206-8">0</td> <td id="stat_to_pl_htm-0040500206-8">1</td> <td id="stat_blk_pl_htm-0040500206-8">0</td> <td id="stat_tpts_pl_htm-0040500206-8">0</td></tr></tbody></table>
Another huge reason we lost: we need Hughes next game to have a chance IMO


----------



## futuristxen

This is actually really cool. Game 7 against the best team record wise in the league. What better stage and challenge could Lebron and the Cavs ask for? ****'s going to be awesome on sunday. To have the chance to send the Pistons home on their homecourt? Delicious!


----------



## remy23

Hughes should get some time next game. He's taller than Jones/Snow/Murray and quicker to boot. When switches land guys like Damon on Rip, or Snow on Prince, Cleveland is in trouble. Larry wouldn't necessarily be the final answer to this problem, but at least he presents a slightly better option. If Cleveland wants to play it by the book, you need to think about the percentages. Hughes would still get scored on but he also has a better chance at actually bothering peoples' shots.


----------



## 77AJ

Pioneer10 said:


> Lebron playing like Magic again: keeping everyone involved till he can bulldoze his way to the basket in the 4th.
> 
> The Jordan comparisons are just dumb he doesn't play anything like Jordan


Have you read any Lebron quotes ? Lebron James said he learned his game by watching Jordan.


----------



## 77AJ

Also coming in here, to say I will believe in Lebron if the Cavs win game 7. I have been very impressed by the Cavs over all, but I believe the last 10 seconds the Cavs choked.


----------



## remy23

23AJ said:


> Have you read any Lebron quotes ? Lebron James said he learned his game by watching Jordan.


Michael Jordan very well may have been the teacher, but LeBron James, the student, is vastly different than his predecessor.


----------



## 77AJ

futuristxen said:


> THAT"S THE PLAY THEY DO!! IT'S WORKED AT LEAST TWICE IN RECENT MEMORY! What's wrong with a wide open 3 pointer at the buzzer? Isn't that what Brown would have tried to draw up if they called a timeout?
> 
> Name me one superstar who doesn't make that pass? Jordan made that move to Paxson and Kerr multiple times in their championship run. Kobe did it a few times in this playoffs, and many times to Fisher and Horry. That's a smart basketball play!
> 
> AGH. I can't believe they couldn't get the rebound for a minute and a half.


Jordan passed to Paxson and Kerr only twice for game winners.


----------



## 77AJ

remy23 said:


> Michael Jordan very well may have been the teacher, but LeBron James, the student, is vastly different than his predecessor.


I don't agree, whats so different about MJ and LBJ ?


----------



## Pioneer10

23AJ said:


> I don't agree, whats so different about MJ and LBJ ?


 Jordan and Lebron are simply different styles of players: Jordan was a slasher while Lebron uses his strength a lot more. In addition, Lebron looks to pass a lot more then 
Jordan. For example, Jordan would pass off the drive while Lebron looks to pass from the time he gets the ball.

Lebron is much more like Bird/Magic then Jordan


----------



## remy23

23AJ said:


> Also coming in here, to say I will believe in Lebron if the Cavs win game 7. I have been very impressed by the Cavs over all, but I believe the last 10 seconds the Cavs choked.


Let's hope Cleveland wins Game 7. The guys can't afford to get depressed over this game. It's unfortunate they made those mistakes. I guess it's growing pains. As long as those mistakes don't rear their head in Game 7, I'm fine.


----------



## Bron_Melo_ROY

Well I didn't see the game but I read through the threat and it seems like we had a golden opportunity to put them away...We can't sulk and hang our heads over this game, with Larry Hughes back I think we have a great chance to win this game. What could be sweeter than beating the Fake *** Bad Boys at the Palace? We just need to stay motivated and Mike Brown needs to make better decisions, Flip Murray has off throughout the 1st half (which I saw) but he stuck with him, he has to make better game substitutions. ITS ALL OR NOTHING NOW!!!


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 5/20/2006 | Articles*












> *Young team loses poise for first time*
> 
> By Tom Reed
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* Cavaliers fans never have to ask if they can get a witness for their Nike-clad superstar, LeBron James.
> 
> At the maddening conclusion of Friday night's 84-82 loss to the Detroit Pistons, a more pressing question arose: Can they get a rebound?
> 
> Three times in the final 48 seconds of Game 6, the Cavs had a chance to tie the score if only they could secure a defensive rebound. Three times, the Pistons extended possessions by getting the ball instead.
> 
> Perhaps a minute from completing an astonishing upset and advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, the Cavs came unhinged. They allowed the Pistons second chances. They failed to call a timeout in the final, frantic nine seconds. James drove inside the 3-point arc to try to create a play, trailing 84-81, and was alertly fouled by the Pistons.
> 
> After demonstrating such poise throughout their playoff run, the Cavs lost it and a possible close-out victory in the process at a sold-out Quicken Loans Arena.
> 
> They made mental miscues, committed five fourth-quarter turnovers and gave new life to a proud champion.
> 
> A week ago, the Cavaliers would have welcomed a chance to play a Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday. This morning? Not so much.
> 
> A huge opportunity has morphed into an even larger disappointment.
> 
> “Down the stretch, (the Pistons) found a way to win the ballgame,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “We made little mistakes here and there.''
> 
> That's all the two-time defending conference champions required.
> 
> The resilient and playoff-tested Pistons deserve full marks. They won a Game 6 for the fourth time in a row since 2003 when facing a 3-2 series deficit.
> 
> Chief protagonist and prognosticator Rasheed Wallace, battling a sprained ankle, had a monster game with 24 points, including 16 in the second half.
> 
> Although Wallace is the best-known player in the series for making prophesies, the one volunteered by Cavs forward Donyell Marshall might prove most prophetic. Marshall said after Game 1 that the Pistons' experience could trump the Cavs' youth.
> 
> Wallace said he saw some reluctant Cavs trigger fingers in the fourth quarter, perhaps the sign of a young team uncertain how to finish off the old gunslingers. James and Ilgauskas were the only players to attempt at least two shots. James went to the line 12 times in the fourth quarter, converting 10 free throws.
> 
> “I don't know if they were playing tight or not, but the only cat who wanted to shoot was LeBron,'' Wallace said. “You can take that for what it's worth.''
> 
> No postseason participant has been playing better than the Cavs in tight games. They had won 17 of their previous 19 games decided by four or fewer points.
> 
> For the first time in this fascinating series, however, the Cavs also were a team with something to lose.
> 
> This was the chance to vanquish Detroit on the Cavs' home court. The chance to bury the team with the league's best record and reach the NBA version of the Final Four.
> 
> “There is a fine line between winning and losing the basketball game, and the team that makes the most mistakes down the stretch is going to lose when both teams fight like they did tonight,'' Brown said.
> 
> James, who finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds, said he didn't think a lack of poise was the problem. What would you expect him to say?
> 
> He scored 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter. James was up for taking the game into his hands, as the stars almost always do. He committed four fourth-quarter turnovers, though. He twice had the ball stripped driving into the lane.
> 
> The game was decided, however, by the Cavs' inability to keep the Pistons off the offensive glass: Detroit had four offensive boards in the last 1:40 and three crucial ones in the final minute.
> 
> A veteran team exhibited its hunger, and an inexperienced one demonstrated its lack of focus. The final mental mistake was the dagger. The Cavs left a timeout in the holster as James dribbled down court with 8.8 seconds left.
> 
> Brown said he had difficulty communicating his desire because of the crowd noise.
> 
> “I don't know why we didn't call timeout,'' James said.
> 
> The Cavs still have a shot to pull the upset Sunday. Home-court advantage is lost for good, but right now, what they must regain is their poise.





> *Pistons execute, tie series*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* To beat the champs, you have to knock them out.
> 
> The Cavaliers had Friday's Game 6 right where they wanted it -- close at the end and on their home floor. By executing in those spots, they had carried themselves to the brink of a franchise-defining moment. By not executing with this precious opportunity, they're now, instead, on the brink of elimination.
> 
> The Detroit Pistons, certified experts at winning elimination games -- be it with their own necks or someone else's on the line -- weren't going down without a fight. They played that way in the final stretch of a game that was within a basket or two for 48 minutes.
> 
> The Cavaliers couldn't match them.
> 
> Suffering a series of breakdowns in the final 60 seconds, the Cavs allowed the Pistons to slip out of Quicken Loans Arena with an 84-82 win. It evened the series at 3-3 and sent the momentum back with the Pistons to The Palace of Auburn Hills for Sunday's Game 7.
> 
> The Cavs had won an amazing string of tight contests.
> 
> They had gone 6-0 in the playoffs in games decided by two points or less. This time, a series of misjudgments shook their usual firm grip and steady air.
> 
> The most glaring was a string of offensive rebounds they gave up in the final minute, four to be exact. It's usually one of the Cavs' strongest facets. They were one of the NBA leaders in limiting offensive rebounds during the regular season and were controlling the glass most of the night Friday.
> 
> Ahead by two points, Detroit got three chances to ice the game. The Pistons missed jumpers or free throws to allow the Cavs another chance to drive in a last-second dagger to win or to force overtime. In fact, the Pistons shot just 33 percent in the fourth quarter, hardly a clutch-shooting masterpiece.
> 
> But Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince got their fingertips on loose balls, keeping what had to seem like the longest opponent's possession in Cavs' history alive and eating away at the clock.
> 
> “There's a fine line between winning and losing,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “The team that makes the most mistakes down the stretch is going to lose.''
> 
> The Cavs finally got a rebound when they were down three points and, again, were unable to execute. LeBron James, who had a game-high 32 points, didn't hear Brown demand a timeout and ran up the floor. James was trying to get the ball to a 3-point shooter for a tie, but the heady Pistons fouled him with a second to play.
> 
> He was left to split free throws and hope for a miracle tip-in that didn't take place. The building drained of sound and the Cavs slowly marched off the floor, knowing they had squandered in the last minute, a slice of time they had owned for as long as they could remember.
> 
> “The game is won and lost on simple plays,'' James said. “You have to make simple plays.''
> 
> There was nothing really simple about the 2.5 hour struggle, with both teams scrapping for every basket and throwing complex schemes at one another. The Pistons probably won the game on this level, making some offensive decisions that were the most prudent since the first half of Game 2.
> 
> They fed the post all night, taking advantage of mismatches Prince and Rasheed Wallace created. The Cavs, determined to kill the Pistons' long-range shooting, had lived with this situation for three games as they switched on pick-and-rolls to avoid allowing open jumpers. In Game 6, desperate Detroit made them pay.
> 
> Rasheed Wallace scored 24 points and virtually fouled out key reserve Anderson Varejao in 23 minutes because he could manage him in the post. Wallace made numerous tough shots -- ones he had missed for a week. Prince also was strong in the post, scoring 15 points. That opened some outside shots, and the Pistons nailed 6-of-14 3-pointers
> 
> Defensively, the Pistons repeatedly changed looks on James. In the fourth quarter, they allowed him to drive, then swarmed him when he got into the lane. It resulted not only in fouls -- James was 15-of-18 at the line -- but also in seven turnovers, four in the fourth quarter.
> 
> Unlike when the Cavs have been at their best in the clutch, there was no honest help.
> 
> “I know the only cat that wanted to shoot was LeBron,'' Rasheed Wallace said. “They're trying to go down a road we've been down before, back and down again.''





> *One last shot*
> *Game 7: Only certainty is that nothing’s certain*
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* One more game. One more day of waiting. One more night of wondering.
> 
> Once more, Cavaliers fans have to worry about the Detroit Pistons.
> 
> Game 7.
> 
> Only this time, it will be at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Sunday afternoon.
> 
> That's what Detroit's 84-82 victory in Game 6 at Quicken Loans Arena meant Friday night.
> 
> Not the end of the Cavaliers' playoff dreams. Not some more gloom and a sense of impending doom.
> 
> Nothing but one more game, the last game for one of these teams, which have played themselves utterly even in the first six games.
> 
> “Many people thought we were dead,'' said Detroit coach Flip Saunders. “Now, we go home breathing.''
> 
> Barely.
> 
> But that's enough.
> 
> Just as the Cavaliers have life, too. Remember the Cavs won two road games in Washington. They won Game 5 in Detroit. They have No. 23, and any team with a great player like LeBron James is capable of winning a Game 7 anywhere, anytime.
> 
> It will be one more game, one more chance for the Cavaliers to do something nearly historic: win a Game 7 on the Pistons' home court, where they are 42-5 this season.
> 
> So order up some extra Tums, because you're going to need them.
> 
> Consider the Cavaliers won Game 4 at home by two points.
> 
> They won Game 5 in Detroit by two points.
> 
> The Pistons won Game 6 in Cleveland by two points.
> 
> No one knows who will win, but you probably can count on this much: It will be gut-churning, palms-sweating, heart-pounding, 48 minutes of memorable basketball.
> 
> You may love it. You may hate it because the pressure is getting to you. But if you love the game, you won't want to miss it.
> 
> *Analyzing, agonizing*
> 
> You can spend a lot of time analyzing what happened in Game 6. You can agonize over missed chances and do a little second-guessing.
> 
> Yes, coach Mike Brown should have called a timeout to set up a 3-point shot because the Cavs were behind 84-81 with 10 seconds left.
> 
> Instead, Brown decided to let James make a play, create something, which often is a good idea. Had it worked, everyone would have agreed.
> 
> James drove to the basket and was fouled as he delivered a pass to Flip Murray on the 3-point line. James went to the foul line with 1.4 seconds left.
> 
> He had two free throws; the Cavs needed three points. He made the first and intentionally missed the second shot, but the Cavs couldn't tip it in.
> 
> Ballgame.
> 
> The Cavs actually lost this game in the final minute when Detroit came up with not ONE, not TWO, but FOUR offensive rebounds.
> 
> Detroit made big plays. The Cavs did not in those final, frustrating 60 seconds.
> 
> *Gap has closed*
> 
> So take a deep breath, Cavs fans.
> 
> Yes, your team is facing the defending Eastern Conference champions, a team that won an NBA-best 64 regular-season games this season.
> 
> And yes, your Cavaliers won only 50, have a superstar who would be a junior in college, a rookie head coach and absolutely, positively no recent playoff experience.
> 
> And yes, the Pistons dominated the Cavs in the regular season, and in the first seven quarters of the playoffs.
> 
> But the gap has closed. The Cavs are aging fast (in a good way), and the Pistons have had moments when they have been feeling their age (the wrong way).
> 
> Despite the outcome of this game, understand that the Cavaliers have silenced the Pistons' swagger, shut most of their mouths and have the Pistons very, very concerned.
> 
> James has called Sunday the “greatest challenge'' of his three-year pro career. The Pistons know it will be a day where they have to avoid disaster. Losing to the Cavs at home will lead to a long summer of anguish and discontent.
> 
> The pressure remains on Detroit.
> 
> Consider that Detroit is a great team, but with no one like James who can take over a game.
> 
> The Cavs are now a good team with a great player.
> 
> When those two teams meet in a Game 7, there is nothing you can count on except this: You'll be watching until the final seconds.


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