Apparently These Are Playoff Games

5/16/2006 - Pistons 72-74 Cavaliers - Series tied 2-2

Self:

...it's almost enough to make you feel sorry for the Cavs who aren't fools who antagonize Rasheed Wallace (Anderson Varejo, Zydrunas Ilgauskas), Nike's anointed (LeBron), or Damon Jones (Damon Jones). Can these really be playoff games? Second-round playoff games?

Note to self: shut the hell up, all right? No doubt overhearing your hubris-laden assertions about the first two games of the series, the Cavs not only showed up but won the second two in Cleveland, leaving us with a competitive series. Here's a brooch. You know what to do.

That taken care of, what the hell is happening? Some assertions:

• Defense does not seem to be the problem. There are times when not enough attention is paid to Lebron and he swoops in for one of those triple-clutch HYYYAARRRR layups; there are others when too much is and one of the Cavs I-stand-in-the-corner-and-shoot guys stands in the corner and shoots. But in their two victories Cleveland has acquired 84 and 77 points. Even though the game has slowed down to a crawl reminiscent of Larry Brown, that's should still be translating into double-digit wins for the Pistons.
• ... so it's the offense, then, and the problems there are multifaceted. One is just bad luck: having used up all their three-pointers in game one, the bitch goddess Independent Trials has returned with a vengance. Yes, the Cavalier defense has improved, but not enough to force the Pistons into shooting 33% from the floor and 27% from three. I blame Lindsey Hunter using up all mojo in a five-state radius with his four straight threes in game one. That grabbed the attention of powers greater than ourselves, and lo, they are wroth.
• Usually the Pistons attack whatever matchup seems to be yielding the best results, but that was not the case in Cleveland, particularly in game four, as they repeatedly posted Tayshawn Prince up against Lebron James with limited success. Generally Prince in the post is a money play as most small forwards in the league are too small to bother Prince's shot. But... uh... Lebron James is not most small forwards, being both bigger and stronger than Prince. The only mismatch there is if Lebron is having a superstar moment or six, but as noted above, apparently these are playoff games. The same thing applies to dumping the ball down to an obviously injured Rasheed Wallace in the post against somone like Ilgauskas who has the length to bother 'Sheed. Hampered by his ankle, a Rasheed post up was generally a contested fallaway.
• For god's sake, when Cleveland is switching every screen please attempt to take advantage of it.

What now? Well, Detroit played well for two games and Cleveland played poorly: giant hubris-causing blowouts. Detroit played like poo for two games and Cleveland played well: narrow Cleveland victories. The equilibrium in this series appears to be about Pistons +8. Switching on all screens is a bit of a gimmick that had the Pistons confused, but -- much like the Lebron semi-zone -- will be less effective the longer it is employed. Two games of three are at home. The chances that Cleveland actually wins this series are still remote, but they are extant now. I accept the blame.

Now go unto them, Pistons, and unleash your righteousness upon the infidels.