Game 6 ECF - The Closeout

[TheAdmin]

1 Game Away From Cleveland History​

​

Detroit Pistons @ Cleveland Cavaliers​

Saturday, June 2nd, 2007
8:30pm ET
QUICKEN LOANS ARENA
TV: TNT
Radio : WTAM 1100

Head Coaches

Flip Saunders / Mike Brown

Starters

Chauncey Billups / Larry Hughes

Richard Hamilton / Sasha Pavlovic

Tayshaun Prince / Video Game James

Rasheed Wallace / Drew Gooden

Chris Webber / Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Cleveland Cavaliers Bench

Anderson Varejao/Donyell Marshall/Daniel Gibson/Damon Jones


Detroit Pistons Bench

Antonio McDyess/Carlos Delfino/Jason Maxiell/Lindsey Hunter/Dale Davis​

*Quick Facts*​

→ With a win tonight, Cleveland would make its first-ever apperance in the NBA Finals.

→ Cleveland looks to become just the third team all-time to rally from a 2-0 series deficit in the conference finals to capture the seven-game series. The 1971 Bullets and the 1993 Bulls (both versus the New York Knicks) are the only two teams out of 58 all-time to win a seven-game series after being down 2-0. The 1993 Bulls are the only team to ever win a series in six games.

→ LeBron James’ 48 points in Game 5 were the most ever scored by a Cavalier in the playoffs. He scored 29 of the final 30 Cavaliers points including the final 25 of the game. With 26 points tonight, James would surpass Mark Price for most playoff points scored by a Cavalier. Price holds the record with 818 points in 47 games. Tonight’s game will mark James’ 29th career postseason game.

→ With a win tonight, Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown would surpass Lenny Wilkens for the most playoff wins for a Cavs head coach with 19. In just two playoff seasons, Brown has compiled a postseason record of 18-10 (.643).

→ The Cavaliers have won three straight overtime games in the playoffs in the last two postseasons.

→ LeBron James has dished out at least seven assists in 14 of 15 playoff games this season. He ranks fifth in the postseason in assists per game (8.3). Over his last three games, James has averaged 35.0 points on .521 shooting, 8.3 rebounds and 9.0 assists.

→ Tonight’s game will mark Cleveland’s first ever game in the month of June. The latest the Cavaliers have ever played a game was May 29 of 1992. With a win tonight, Cleveland would set a team record for home wins in a single postseason with seven.

 

[chiefwahoo]

Thanks for taking care of this Ben. I can't wait to be down there tomorrow night.

1 Game Away From Cleveland History

^^damn right

 

[Nicky]

I will be at this game. INF bought tickets. We'll be in section 117 row 1.
If we win this, I'm gonna go nuts! It's my first Cavs game in YEARS, and my first Cavs playoff game EVER!

 

[highplainsdrifter]

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than one's fear. The timid presume it is lack of fear that allows the brave to act when the timid do not. But to take action when one is not afraid is easy. To refrain when afraid is also easy. To take action regardless of fear is brave."
— Ambrose Hollingworth Redmoon,
from No Peaceful Warriors!

 

[Dungong]

Detroit is going to bring it tonight I am sure. Thought they brought it on their home court last game, so I'm feeling pretty good about this one. But Detroit always plays its best with their backs against the wall and today certainly qualifies. Lebron has got to be hurting from game 5. Hughes is probably only good for 20 minutes. We're going to be asking for contributions from Gibson, Gooden, and Z for sure, at least until overtime The Pistons gotta be tired too, Billups, Rip, and Tayshaun all played heavy minutes, but McDyess, hes gonna be fresh. Webber played well too.

Some keys:

There are some concerns when their starting backcourt is in the game against our bench. Damon Jones becomes a liability because he can't cover Billups, Rip, or Tayshaun, so if all 3 are out there we're running that weird double. Gibson can hold his own against Billups but has to play smart and not pick up a bunch of dumb fouls, hes going to be asked to play starter minutes tonight. I don't like seeing Gibson on Rip or Tayshaun either. Lebron seems to just mess with Billups when hes guarding him, but that leaves a mismatch on Tayshaun, who doesn't seem bothered by any other defender we've thrown at him.

I am not a fan of the big man double on Sheed. Let him work over Gooden or AV, but bringing Z on the high double just hasn't seemed to lead to more positive than negative as it leaves guys like Pavlovic or Gibson guarding Webber or McDyess on the low block, not good. If you're going to double Sheed I'd rather have a guard drop in from up top and mess with his dribble than having Z come off the other big man.

Gibson, Sasha, Donyell, and DJ better be ready to hit some open J's tonight because you can be sure that Detroit is going to double up on Bron hard and make him pass it out. This is what the King prefers, setting up the teammates, and he will make them pay for an all out double team if guys are hitting from outside. Maybe we'll see more Lebron off the ball stuff.

 

[ChicagoCavFan]

I will be at this game. INF bought tickets. We'll be in section 117 row 1.
If we win this, I'm gonna go nuts! It's my first Cavs game in YEARS, and my first Cavs playoff game EVER!

I'm jealous you guys are going. Right behind the hoop in row 1 of the seats. Is that where Gloria sits - but down in the floor section?

 

[Nicky]

^ I believe so. Inf keeps saying we'll be sitting right by Gloria and LeBron Jr.... One can wish, right?

 

[kevolution]

It's going down tonight!

If your really bout it you'd shave your head and leave the drew patch for good luck! BEAT DETROIT!!!

 

[Glen Infante]

Gloria sits in the boxes section 1 probably.

 

[Nicky]

It's going down tonight!

If your really bout it you'd shave your head and leave the drew patch for good luck! BEAT DETROIT!!!

Inf said he was going to do that earlier in the week, but then went and shaved his head and didn't leave the duck tail. Needless to say, I am very upset with him.

 

[RuanuLaw]

Ok, this is the 4th final time that I am saying that I am not worried, and that we are going to win this and complete what will once be known as "The Straight 4 in a Row".

 

[crazedcav333]

The loudest the Q has ever been---tonight at 8:00.

They are expecting atleast 75,000 people withing the Q-Jacobs Field area. All the monitors will be outside and it'll be a party all around C-Town.

 

[NarlCavs]

I also think the Cavs are going to get the job done tonight. They better get it done too.

It's time for other players to step up tonight after LeBron carried them in game 5. I think guys like Sasha and Gooden could be key. They both seem to play better at home and other offensive options are a must tonight. Sasha has to pick up his offensive game. It was bad in game 5 and he has to attack the basket aggressively rather than his soft drives of the last game.

Cavs also have to control the boards like they usually do. I didn't like seeing them get outrebounded in game 5.

I'd like to see the Cavs get on the Pistons early and not let up. Detroit has some issues now and that could cause them to have even more dissension than they are having already.

 

[Clevelandfan15]

wow hughes is 4-4 in his last 4 ept attemps

 

[Clevelandfan15]

Z hughes and gooden steping up