Once every year during Detroit's run of five straight appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, two Eastern Conference titles, and one NBA championship, the Pistons have always been down 3 games to 2. From Tracy McGrady's premature declaration of victory in 2003 to last year's brush with elimination with a very similar Cleveland squad last year, the Pistons have become renowned for flipping that switch. Detroit's not done until they are truly, mathematically done.
But this time something happened. This time the switch failed. The Pistons, who are expected to play with the intangibles and poise only experience provides, looked more battle-worn than battle-tested as the fourth quarter's minutes ticked closer and closer to the demise of the Pistons' season. And with their demise, a new king of the Eastern Conference ascends to his throne. While being at the pinnacle of sports is often only a temporary position, (it might only last until next Thursday for Cleveland), LeBron and the Cavaliers can at least for one night revel in their 98-82 win over the Detroit Pistons, catapulting the Cavaliers to a destination they've never reached before--the NBA finals.
The Pistons from the opening tip appeared wholly devoted to keeping LeBron James from repeating his Game 5 heroics. In some ways, they did. James was only 3-of-11 from the floor, largely due to being hounded by multiple Pistons every time he touched the ball. It was apparent that James wished to do more of the scoring himself, but he did demonstrate his basketball IQ by not forcing the issue as many other of the league's premier players may have chosen to do. He instead focused on leading his team in other categories, such as 14 rebounds and 8 assists.
And who needed James to score when Daniel Gibson was around? The rookie from Texas followed James' playoff display for the ages with a show of his own that undoubtedly has to be one of the better games a rookie has played in this kind of situation. Gibson could have shot the ball through a Cheerio in that fourth quarter; he hit 3-pointer after 3-pointer and free throw after free throw, eventually ending up with 31 points and 6 boards.
It would be foolish to expect Gibson to in the long term put up nights like this, (7-of-9 from the floor including a perfect 5-for-5 from behind the arc), but there's no doubt that James may have found one of those role players who can take advantage of the opportunities that come of James' double teams.
Article comments
1 - Jared Wright
One stat that didn't make it through the editorial wringer was that Mohammed has played an entire 72 minutes all season. That includes all 82 games of the regular season and the playoffs to boot. 72 minutes over the course of 97 games, and then he's asked to come in in Game 6 of the ECF. I didn't get it either, Coach Saunders.
Sorry, just loved that stat and couldn't help but point it out.
2 - Jared Wright
Turns out I misread my notes, the screen I was tracking the game stats from, or something else, as the 72-minute stat is in fact incorrect. The fact that while watching Detroit play during the regular season I almost never saw Mohammed doesn't help things. Either way, big props to Suss for keeping me in line.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Still, it's extremely curious that Nazr -- starting center for the championship Spurs a few years back -- was used in one other playoff game prior to Saturday for four minutes. I can understand the good play of Maxiell taking away some of this minutes, but all of them?
4 - Jared Wright
Very true. Although as interesting as it is, Maxiell's lack of playing time is more curious I think than Mohammed actually playing. I mean, Maxiel''d played very well and why he played so little in Game 6 really baffles me.
5 - RJ
Joe Dumars' to-do list:
Fire Saunders
Trade 'Sheed
Retain Billups
Re-sign McDyess
Dump Webber
Draft well (the Pistons have two first-round draft picks coming up)
End result: Detroit will be back in the Eastern Conference Finals next season.
6 - Jared Wright
Item 1's already been snuffed out, as an official announced Saunders' return Monday night. I'm torn on whether he should stick around or not. On one hand, I don't think the players buy into what he's doing, I don't think he's got the trust from them that LB or Carlisle did. Is that the coach's fault, or the players'? I say the latter, really. Still, it's easier to change the coach than it is to retool the roster, and there's still talent on that roster to boot. Sheed will likely go, and I think it would be in Detroit's best interest to resign Billups, although I bet they act nonchalant about it at first in order to sucker teams into making weak initial offers. I think Detroit will open the wallet for him, but if they can get something only somewhat higher than what they offered Ben Wallace last year, they'll be quite happy. There's a few solid point guards in the draft and not many teams in desperate need of point guards that can afford to spend big bucks on a Chauncey Billups, so I don't expect anyone to come across with a ludicrous offer for him. I'm guess he ends up getting something for about $12.5 M a year from Detroit when it's all said and done.