Game #1 of the East Conf finals features the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Palace time: 8PM tv: TNT radio: WDFN - Blaha is taking over for Mark Champion from here on out. Pistons tie a franchise record 5 straight trips to the Finals and are the 1st team to get here 5 straight times since the Bulls 1990-94 This is the Cavs 1st trip to the Conf Finals since 1992 when they lost to the Bulls 4-2. They have never been to the Finals. Injuries: none
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM Five straight trips to the conference finals. That is really something. But the team and the fans want that 'ship for sure. I don't think Cleveland matches up well with Detroit at all and I like the Pistons in Game 1 and the series. This LeBron-led team is about as good as the Jordan-led teams that the Pistons beat up on in the mid 80s in my view. I worry a little about Cleveland's rebounding as Gooden and Z are averaging nearly 10 a game each. Ultimately, I don't think the Cavs' offense is potent at all. They got a much easier route to the ECF. I hope the Pistons give them their comeuppance.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM In the regular season, we only achieved 3 more victories than the Cavs. And we all know how important the regular season is.......... Still, I expect this series to go 6-7 games, with the Cav's showing emphasis on defense and rebounding. The Pistons will continue to frustrate and be inconsistent. My hope is that we take the first two at home. I think that the Cavs see us as vulnerable in game 1........ Go Pistons !!!!!!!!
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM We have to make Le Bron go left. We need to have guys coming from different angles to stifle the drive. We may want to trap him to give up the ball. We should run at him a bit aggressively so that he can't dribble, dribble, dribble and do that quick pull up jumper. Their second option is Isgauskis. We gave him too much P.J. Brown room in the regular season. His jumper can be contained. The other guys you have to just pay attention too. Pavlovik is agressive but will get out of control under pressure. But their shooters need space and are not like Gordon. They will try and beat us with defense and Le Bron at the line. If we use Tay from a variety of spots, they will have a hard time locking into our offense. Sheed should take more looks from the free throw line (like in game 6 Chicago) area and not just the three. They want to lock into our defense so we have to stay ahead of the curve and not be predictable. We should keep Webber and Dyss on the move to take advantage of Isguaskis slowness of foot. I would like to see the ball come back to Chauncey or out to Prince as they pack it in. They should be wide open.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM I had a nice get together this afternoon with some friends who said that the Pistons were done after the loss to the Heat last year. What a nice time I had today. I don`t know how many folk delivered the eulogy for the Pistons after last years dissapointing post season and Ben`s departure. Of course my friends didn`t have too much to say, offering the injury excuse, and the "they still will not win it all" reply. I just laughed it off and reminded them, if anyone was done it was the Miami Heat. There were several Heat fans at this gathering. Game 1 here is huge, dont give the Cavs any thought of winning this series. Hopefully the Pistons will be mindful of the fact Bron Bron will get his share of calls from the refs, they must play through it and not lose their heads and focus.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM Let's hope 'Sheed doesn't cop the giggles and get called for his 5th tech. I love all the talk about the "LeBron plan" amongst the players and coaches. Some fans might not think too much of this series but I think it's going to be the best yet. Here's to our Prince trumping their King and Dee-troit Domination from tipoff to final buzzer! CHEERS!
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM 5 straight ECF is impressive, but it's still 1 shy of the Detroit Lions' current 6 season losing record streak, AKA "The Millen Era".
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM Do we let Bron get 30+ pts (below 50) and shut down the rest of his teammates or we shut down Bron and let the others try to beat us? What is the game plan? Don't think we can shut both Bron and his teammates down the entire game. But if they do, the Pistons will win the series 4-1.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM Best to shut down the rebounding games of Gooden and Ilgauskas.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM I completely agree. Limit their second chance opportunities, and deny Lebrina a clear walk to the basket, and the Pistons should be able to take care of the Cavs.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM That's pretty much it in a nutshell JZ. This is just an idea, make LeBron work on defense, and hit him hard when he goes to the hoop, but otherwise, don't let Larry Hughes, Pavlovich, etc. go off.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM i think several of these things (lebron, teammates, and rebs, esp off rebs) go together and that the lynch pin is not letting lebron into the paint. he gets past his guy into the paint and several things can happen (all bad): uncontested easy baskets that fire him up; help rotation by our players resulting in, at best, a kick out to an open teammate of his, or, at worst, a foul and one for lbj; our bigs leave their bigs to help out and their bigs are freed up for put backs and easy off rebs. i'm personally in favor of lbj's man sagging off and making him beat us from the perimeter (i.e. give him anything from 17-18 feet on out). seems to me from past games (and from the cleve. nj series) that lbj sort of succumbs to the ease of that fadeaway jumper and the belief that he's a better perimeter shooter than he is. i'm not saying he can't make it, but cleveland doesn't have a chance to win the series (sure, maybe a game) if most of his shots are coming from there. keep him on the perimeter and lbj's role players aren't a factor and we win the boards. the other thing, on the other end, is movement without the ball and of the ball, good screens and intelligent easy passes...don't let them get confidence by having hughes and lbj get steals and fast break points
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM We have to rebound--that is for sure. I think we have to do a little of both, slow down or channel Le Bron where we want him to go and control the other guys. I would take away Isgauskis. They need someone else to go to once in a while and it is usually him. We have to avoid stagnation and predictability on offense.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM I don't think I could agree with this any more if I tried, esp the part in bold.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM What burned us last year was when Gooden and Verajao started hitting the boards. Rebounding will be a key.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM Those guys' offensive rebounding was a problem in last year's series, but the Pistons also turned the tables late in Game 6, on that crucial last minute possession where the Pistons got something like 4 offensive boards.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM Most of it was effort. Last year the Piston front-line thought that all they had to do was show up and they would automatically win all matchups. That let themselfs open to the Verajao's of the league. This year we have not had the same problems against tall athletic ( sometimes otherwise scrub ) players. Maybe Maxiel will be the matchup from hell for the Cavs this year.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM i'll be there again (although probably selling game 2). i have a feeling it's going to be a good crowd.
Re: Conf Finals Game 1 Cleveland May 21 8PM I`m sure it will be a good crowd. I hope it`s a LOUD CROWD!!!!!!!!!!!
