There will be a Game 6 in Cleveland…Guaranteed! Sorry, Rasheed, your bold prognostications may have worked before but not Monday night. In a game that came down to the final possession, the Cavaliers evened up the series by edging the Pistons 74-72 at the Q. With the Cavs up by one and time winding down, Rip Hamilton drove the lane but failed to convert a leaner. LeBron split a pair of free throws at the other end to give the Wine and Gold the final two-point advantage. James continues to somehow will his team to victory when they need it most. He didn’t have the best night from the field (8-23) but still almost managed a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. Anderson Varejao was a force once again. In addition to scoring 10 points and grabbing six boards, he made one of the best plays of the night when he stood in front of a driving Chancey Billups late in the game and drew a charge.
Rasheed The Great sprained his ankle early in the first half and finished a whopping 3 of 13 from the field. He was sorely mistaken with his Game 4 prediction but continued to run his mouth after the game, saying he’s not concerned with the Cavs.
“I ain’t worried about these cats,” he said. “There’s no way in hell they beat us in a series.”
Mike Brown and the Cavs really impressed me the way they clamped down on the Pistons. The Cavs didn’t take care of the ball that well on offense but it was their defense that kept them in the game. Whatever defensive scheme Brown put together, it worked. The Cavaliers held Detroit to 33% shooting from the field in the game and allowed only 13 points in the fourth quarter. In the last three games, the Cavs have showed some tremendous fourth quarter intensity, especially on the defensive end.
They displayed a lot of heart and determination at home but now comes the tough task of going to Detroit. The Cavs have made it a series again but if they are truly serious about winning it, they must show they can overtake the Pistons on their home floor. The first two road games were pretty brutal and served as a massive wake-up call but they get a third shot in Motown on Wednesday.
