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Win streak ends at eight as Pistons step up in second
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Nov 20, 2008
AUBURN HILLS, MICH.: LeBron James said before the start of Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons that the game would be different for them.
''We know our rivalry with these guys is going to be a different feel and it may have a playoff feel to it tonight,'' James said.
James turned out to be correct as the Cavaliers lost to the Pistons 96-89 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in a game in which both teams turned up the intensity significantly at different times.
The Cavs came out with the intensity in the first two quarters, and the Pistons finished it off in the last two, ending the Cavs' eight-game winning streak.
''They came out in the second half and just took it from us,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ''They didn't do anything special or anything differently. Defensively, they just turned it up.
''They turned it up with their pressure and we did not respond. We did not respond well at all in the second half to their aggressive play and that was disappointing.''
In the third quarter, it looked as if the Cavs might break things open, but for everything they did right in the first half, they did as much equally wrong in the third
quarter.
The Cavs broke out to a 57-46 lead, but that collapsed faster than the global economy. The Cavs found themselves with two key members — guards Mo Williams and Delonte West — in foul trouble on the bench and dwindling momentum in the third quarter as the Pistons battled back to within two points at 61-59.
After being fouled, Sasha Pavlovic missed his first free throw, then a second, but followed with a rebound and layup.
On the Cavs' next possession, Pavlovic hit a 3-pointer to give the Cavs a 66-59 lead that vanished courtesy of eight turnovers in the quarter.
Williams called the period when he and West had to leave the game crucial. It's hard to argue because when Williams went to the bench, the Cavs led by 10. When West joined Williams on the bench, they still led by five.
''It definitely [hurt] because we're so used to them being out there with either Mo or Delonte and them getting in foul trouble kind of hurt,'' James said. ''It's definitely something we had to adjust to; we were off balance a lot. We couldn't get in our early sets like we wanted to.''
With the Cavs clinging to a 66-63 lead, the Pistons' Arron Afflalo made a 3-pointer with 47.6 seconds left in the quarter to tie the game at 66.
The Cavs answered with a shot to take a 68-66 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but they'd lost more than a substantial advantage. Gone was any semblance of momentum they had going into the final crucial minutes of the game.
In the opening minutes of the fourth, Williams made a 3-pointer to give the Cavs a 71-70 lead, Afflalo answered with a two-pointer. Williams countered with another 3-pointer to give the Cavs a 74-72 lead with 9:05 left.
The Pistons kept firing, however. And when Rasheed Wallace made back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Pistons ahead 82-76, it was easy to get the feeling that the Cavs were beginning to run out of gas.
That, indeed, proved to be the case as the Pistons outscored the Cavs 30-21 in the fourth quarter behind Wallace.
The Cavs started the game slowly and quickly fell behind, but they were able to tie the score at 12-12.
The Cavs then went on an 11-2 run to take a 23-14 lead at 1:13 in the quarter.
They battled their way to a 49-38 halftime lead that didn't hold up.
James and Williams led the Cavs with 25 points each.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at: http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/ep.
AUBURN HILLS, MICH.: LeBron James said before the start of Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons that the game would be different for them.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 08:36 AM, 11/20/2008
We'll meet again.
Posted 08:37 AM, 11/20/2008
Try this - leave those two in the game and dont commit stupid fouls.
Posted 09:36 AM, 11/20/2008
Tough loss. It was a chance to make an early statement but not important in the long run. The fould trouble was the key. Plus, I think this team still struggles with how to close teams out effeciently. Especially good teams in their building.
Barberton, OH
Posted 12:21 PM, 11/20/2008
Where are all the "fire Mike Brown" comments at?
Posted 05:23 PM, 11/20/2008
they lost because they had to play back to back games --whaaaaa