Gameblog: Cavs at Detroit - Abridged Edition

Yes, I had plans to write the normal pre-and-post look at tonight's game before the basketball god's saw fit to smack me on the nose again.
This time, the person that I caught a ride to The Palace at Auburn Hills had the wire that connects to his trunk disengage.  Normally, that isn't much of a problem - unless your laptop is in it.
And there both of ours sat for a good portion before game time, putting me behind significantly - trying to get notes out, etc., etc., etc.  So far it's been an interesting season as far as my laptop is concerned.
It was knocked from my hands in Minneapolis, Minn. and did its best imitation of a spastic gymnast, bouncing twice before the screen looked like a disassembled puzzled.  But I digress.
On to tonight's affair, a game that had the potential to turn into a blow out for the Cavs.
The good:

• The Cavs had one of their best defensive efforts of the season holding the Pistons, who were without Tayshaun Prince and Richard ''Rip'' Hamilton, to just 39 percent shooting from the floor, including an abysmal 20 percent in the fourth quarter.  By comparison, the Cavs shot 50 percent from the floor. 
• Daniel Gibson broke out of a 2-of-13 slump to go 5-of-7, including 3-of-3 from the three-point line and finish the game with 13 points.  Gibson led a bench that scored 27 points overall.

• The Cavs only scored 38 points in the second half on 38 percent shooting.  They continue to have difficulty closing teams out after getting significant leads.  While they never lost the lead in this one after taking command at the end of the first quarter, the fact that Pistons, at one point, were able to close within six tells the casual observer that the team still hasn't developed a killer instinct.