I was reading the game recaps on foxsports today, and read some comments by the players of the Detroit versus Cleveland game, which Cleveland won. Some things kind of stuck out as a lack of respect to the spurs, to me... am i wrong? Im fairly sure the spurs won the championship last time around? I realise detroit is playing amazingly well atm, but still...
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5210080
LeBron leads Cavs past Pistons
CLEVELAND (AP) - The Cavaliers weren't intimidated by the Pistons' impressive record, rich history or Ben Wallace's biceps.
With a Pistons-like defensive performance, Cleveland made Detroit look ordinary in a 97-84 victory Saturday.
"That's a good team that came into our building," Cavs guard Larry Hughes said. "We think we're supposed to win."
One day after LeBron James turned 21, and against the NBA's top squad, the Cavs may have come of age, too.
James scored 30 points with seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals against the Pistons, who had their winning streak stopped at nine and lost for just the fourth time.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 18 points, Hughes 16 and Drew Gooden 12 with 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who posted their most impressive victory on the final day of '05 and improved to 13-3 at Quicken Loans Arena.
Cleveland has won the last three meetings and four of five at home against the Pistons, the team they're trying to catch in the Central Division and the franchise they aspire to be like someday.
"I told LeBron, 'It's just like when Chicago won the championship. If you want to go deep in the playoffs, then this is the team we have to go through. This is the team we have to beat,"' Donyell Marshall said. "That's a very big step for us."
The Pistons came in on pace to win a record 73 regular-season games, but shot a season-low 36 percent (29-of-81) from the floor and dropped to 24-4 - still one of the best starts in league history.
Tayshaun Prince, averaging 15.1 points, had just four on 2-of-12 shooting and Chauncey Billups was only 2-for-11 from the field and had 14.
"We played horribly offensively," Prince said. "We got the shots we wanted but couldn't make anything. We were missing layups - everything."
Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton had 21 points apiece to lead the Pistons and Ben Wallace added 11 with 18 rebounds.
The Cavaliers, who led by 19 in the first half, pushed it to 20 late in the third quarter and then held off a late push by the Pistons, who got within 92-82 on Carlos Delfino's free throw with 3:41 remaining.
But James, who posted up in the lane more than usual, drilled a 3-pointer with 3:17 left, and after Ilgauskas' basket made it 97-82, Cleveland fans began their New Year's Eve partying a little early.
"That's the best team in the league," Gooden said. "They have a (championship) ring. We see them as the measuring stick."
James, who has scored at least 30 in 11 of his last 14 games, finished December averaging 32.4 points - the highest one-month average in club history. The Cavaliers have 18 wins after two months for the first time since 1996-97.
"We knew we had to bring our 'A' game," said James, "and that's what we did."
The Pistons started cold from the floor and remained that way in the first half, shooting just 31 percent in falling behind by 19.
"Nothing would go in," said Prince, who made his first shot and then missed 10 of 11. "Usually after we miss some shots, we heat up a little, but we couldn't get anything going."
Marshall made consecutive 3s and James completed a three-point play as the Cavaliers opened the second quarter with 11 straight points, forcing the Pistons to play from behind the rest of the way.
"They controlled the tempo," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "We played out of character."
Notes
Cleveland has won seven of eight and went 8-6 in December after a 1-5 start to the month. ... James also averaged 6.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.9 steals in December. ... Saunders is just the second coach in league history to start 24-3 in his first season as coach. Bill Sharman opened the 1971-72 season 39-3 with the Los Angeles Lakers. ... The Cavs hadn't played on New Year's Eve since 1970, their inaugural season in the NBA, when they lost 119-85 at Atlanta and fell to 5-39. ... Cavs coach Mike Brown, who has just two technicals in his first season, tries the tender approach before yelling at officials. "I usually start with Merry Christmas or Happy New Year, and then say, 'Can you take a look at that last call,"' Brown said. ... Like the Pistons, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, whose 72-10 season is the NBA's best ever, started 23-3 before winning 18 in a row. ... Browns rookie WR Braylon Edwards sat courtside. He's scheduled to undergo knee surgery on Tuesday - doctors had to wait until swelling went down - and will need at least nine months to recover.
I don't see the highlighted quotes as a lack of respect for the Spurs.... just a healthy respect for the team they beat. And they should respect the Pistons. The Cavs are right about the fact that they have to go through the Pistons. They don't get to the NBA Finals if they can't beat them in a 7-game series. Record-wise, they do in fact have the best record right now.
I don't see it as a 'lack of respect'. The Pistons are the best team out there.
Why do you all care so much when someone says something negative about the Spurs (or equally excited when something positive is said).
Besides, they are going to have to go thru the Pistons because they're both in the Eastern Conference. They do have a ring from 2004. So what's the problem?
LBJ's of legit age to drink now?! Here's to LeBron turning 21! CHEERS! Now drink up LeBron! You just turned 21 and celebrated it by beating the Pistons!
Last edited by Bloodline666; 01-01-2006 at 04:33 AM.
same reaction as zstomp and spurszilla.
dude chill out.. the cavs are talking about the pistons as the team they have to go thru in the EAST! god you're re ed! And as for them being "the best team" in the NBA right now?? Look at their record and with what happened on Christmas! If you still dont believe it, then you're just being ignorite.
UUhh!!! What's "ignorite" ??
Thanks for winning Lebron!
Thanks for lehype winnin, now the pistons are goin to on a winnin streak again
I think they just meant that since they are in their conference, they have to beat them to get to the finals.
Thanks for lehype winnin, now the pistons are goin to on a winnin streak again
EXACTLY!!!!
The one time I want the Pistons to win, and they loose
I think that first comment was meant in reference to the fact that the Cavs and Pistons both play in the same Division and Conference. And so, if the Cavs even want to make it to the finals, there's no doubt that they're going to have to go through the Pistons first. That's just a fact.
As for the second quote, that's just reiterating the first one. Pistons currently are the best team in the league...their league record and Christmas day game against the Spurs clearly showed that. And they do have a championship ring. Again, it's just stating a fact. What's wrong with using the current Pistons as a measuring stick to where the Cavs should be at? Heck, there are some aspects of the Pistons team, such as their toughness and rebounding energy, that even the Spurs should model after!
Seeing as the entire Cav franchise is modeled after the Spurs, this is a pretty silly thread.
So i read a little too deep into some comments, it makes me re ed? Gee, nice.
Thanks at least to those who had reasonable response. All i was asking was if i had read it wrong, not for an insult.
Houston 90, @Cleveland 81 And they think they can compete for the championship?
Wow, did you ever think you'd read something like "With a Pistons-like defensive performance" about the Cavs??? Way to go Mike Brown! (and Danny!)
Yep. See if this makes you feel better:
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_15592.shtml
The Mavs defense was about as good as Pheonix last year...let them shoot so we can run and shoot the ball. The Pistons missed so many wide open shots, it wasn't even funny.
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