[box score] The Cavs kept it relatively close for half the game, that is the half that they had the league’s leading scorer LeBron James on the floor.

LeBron James didn’t come out of the lockeroom with the Cavs after the half and when he finally did it was in street clothes and a taped up sprained finger on his left hand. LeBron’s absence confirmed how much the Cavaliers rely on his production as the Pistons went on to route the Cavs by 35, their largest win of the season.

The Pistons led at the break by five, 43-48. The game looked like it was going to be a good one, but without LeBron Jimmy on the floor the Pistons did what they wanted when they wanted and it made for a pretty anti-climatic second half.

The Cavs Daniel “Boobie” Gibson played the spoiler in last year’s ECF, but in this game he was the weakest link. Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Flip Murray, and Tayshaun Prince all took turns abusing Gibson with post up moves on the undersized guard. Maybe that star Gibson had shaved into the back of his head was a bit premature?

The large second half leads gave Flip Saunders the chance to give extended minutes to primarily second unit lineups. Unlike previous games the bench did not relinquish the lead but rather added to it. The Pistons bench outscored the Cavs bench 45-24. The Pistons bench also accounted for 20 of the Pistons 43 team rebounds.

Richard Hamilton took a step forward in moving past his early season slump in this one. Rip led the Pistons in scoring with 18 on 8 of 14 shooting. Rip also had 6 assists. One thing that might be overlooked when talking about Rip’s slump is that his assist totals are up. Rip is averaging 5.1 apg, up from his 3.8 from last season. So, even though his offense has not been there in every contest he’s still helping put points on the board.

GAME NOTES:

• Solid contributions by everyone off the bench.
• Lindsey is still a ballhawk
• Maxiell led the team with 10 boards (3O/7D). He wasn’t just grabbing them, he was ripping them down.
• Cavs 40% FG, Pistons 58.4%
• Rebounds: Cavs 23, Pistons 43 (13 offensive)
• Assist: Cavs 14, Pistons 30
• Dice: 14 pts (6/8), 8 rbs
• Pistons had 9 blocks & 9 steals
• James didn’t play after halftime and still led Cleveland in scoring with 15
• Drew Gooden has traded in his hideous ducktail for an Al-Queda style beard. Appearently he and the Wizard’s DeShawn Stevenson have a beard growing contest.
• NO Cav had a positive +/- stat
• Pistons only 2/11 from beyond 3pt arc

QUOTES:

Flip Saunders on not letting up on the LeBron-less Cavs:

“This isn’t a sympathy league, but we would have liked to see LeBron stay in, because I thought we were pretty tuned in,” Saunders said. “I think we were ready to take it over in the second half.”

MORE RECAPS:

• Detroit News: No James, no chance
• Cavs News: LeBron injured in blowout
  

(9-6) Vs. (8-5)

7:30 est @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
Local TV: TV20 Detroit

The Pistons will get the opportunity to avenge the ‘bad dream’ that was the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals. The only way for the Pistons to finally wake up from that is to hold LeBron James, who starred as the Boogie Man, in check. LeBron Has been nothing short of phenomenal this season carrying Cleveland on his back while becoming a triple-double machine.

Hopefully LBJ will have tired legs tonight to help the Pistons defense slow him down. The Cavs are playing their 3rd game in 4 nights which included an overtime affair with the Celtics last night in Cleveland. The Cavs are riding a four game win streak and are 5-3 on the road. The Pistons are currently #1 in the Central followed by guess who…the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Pistons expect to have the services of both Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton in the starting lineup. The Pistons will not have to contend with the antics of Anderson Varejao who’s a contract hold out and has recently told ESPN’s Chad Ford that he wants to be traded from the Cavs.

Lindsey Hunter on the Cavs as a rival:

“Ninety percent of the teams that play us could be considered rivals,” Hunter said. “Everybody hates us. Everybody wants to kill us.” (via: The Detroit News)

Rasheed Wallace (from preseason game #2) on jawing with Gooden & James:

Just the usual, young punks thinking they really did something,” said the always outspoken Wallace. “So now we gonna have to put those young-ass cats in their place. You know, he got a little bit out of control with his mouth; that’s all. The normal junk talk.”

(Via Quo Vadimus) “Here’s something interesting. On Jim Rome’s radio show this afternoon, NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley (who is a must listen any time he is interviewed) said he would be legitimately stunned if the Cleveland Cavaliers, the defending Eastern Conference Champions, made the playoffs. He wasn’t joking either. He said that while almost every other contending Eastern Conference team has improved from last season, the Cavs have not, and as such, they will not make the playoffs.”

Being a Cavs hater that’s music to my ears, but I just don’t see it. While they have some re-signing issues they have to resolve, I don’t see the Eastern bottom feeders being able to surpass a team like the Cavs in a league set up to showcase superstars. I will say they’re one LeBron James injury away from missing the playoffs, but as long as he’s in the lineup they should be able to muster enough wins to get in.

The Heat on the other hand…

[box score] The Pistons held the lead for most of this contest, but their young second unit was unable to seal the deal. After a few late runs the Pistons seen their double digit lead evaporate to a seemingly undermatched Cavs bench at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena.

The Pistons were unable to score late in the game, which allowed Cleveland to get back into the game and then with less than a second in the game the Cavs got two clutch free throws by Dwayne Jones, an unlikely hero to say the least, to force overtime. The Pistons didn’t have one field goal in the overtime which will seal your fate 10.5 times out of 10.

I’ll put it out there, I HATE THE CAVS. No matter what the occasion I want the Cavs on their backs staring up at the lights because a Mack truck with Michigan plates just flattened them out. But, the reality we can’t win every time. It’s only a preseason game so in the grand scheme it’s not the end of the world. It would have been nice for the young guy’s confidence to have not blown the save for the starters. Like all preseason games this one was a learning experience.

GAME NOTES:

• Rasheed Wallace had some exchanges with Lebron James & Drew Gooden
• The Cavs were with out contract hold outs Anderson Varejao & Sasha Pavlovich
• Lindsey Hunter, Gerald Fitch, Ronald Murray, Sammy Mejia, Cheick Samb all had DNP - coaches decision
• Amir Johnson missed his second game due to the sprained ankle suffered in practice
• Arron Afflalo, Rip Hamilton, and Chauncey all scored 12 points
• Nazr Mohammed had to sit late after being kicked in the calf muscle
• Pistons shot 1/10 behind the 3 pt arc
• Jason Maxiell played a game high 33 minutes


QUOTES:

Rasheed on jawing with the Cavs:

“Just the usual, young punks thinking they really did something,” said the always outspoken Wallace. “So now we gonna have to put those young-ass cats in their place. You know, he got a little bit out of control with his mouth; that’s all. The normal junk talk.”

Saunder’s on the rooks learning experience:

“We got into a situation where they’re going to have to learn how to play with a lead,” Saunders said. “And they have to learn how to tighten things up a little bit. We kind of let them play a little bit, let them see as far as what they can do out there on their own.

“Sometimes, in order to learn how to succeed, you have to fail. This is what the exhibition is about.”

Ok, one thing I’m excited about is the potential rivalry with the emerging Cavs. We’re 1-1 in playoff series with those jokers to the south. I want this rivalry, it’s what the game has been missing. I want to hate them like I did the Celtics and then the Bulls. I’ll respect LeBron’s game like I did Jordan’s, but I’ll still despise him. I’ll detest that flopp’n fool Varejao like I’m sure other team’s fans must have done Laimbeer.

So, I’m doing my part to get this divisional rivalry a kick start. I offer up the below pic to be captioned by you Pistons Nation. (I’ve already got dibs on “Ballz don’t lie!” btw)

Oh, and here’s some bonus artillery when dealing with those pesky Cavs fans.