For most of Game 1, I was rather impressed with the Cavs and how they were able to control the boards. The Pistons didn’t play very well and still managed to win the game, which doesn’t bode well for Cleveland.
The Cavs are running Hughes at the point, which seems to help his activity. Defensively, he did a nice job limiting Chauncey Billups’ attempts, but Billups was still able to have an impact on the game. Aleksandar Pavlovic and Hughes combined for 8 for 27 shooting, which isn’t going to get it done. The Pistons did a great job of harrassing LeBron, but I thought that there were a few plays where he was fouled but didn’t get the call. He’s a lot stronger than Tayshaun Prince. I think the Cavs need to get him the ball on the block and let him operate from there. Then, he can either go up for the quick shot or pass out of the double-team. Instead, they’re asking him to attack Prince on the perimeter, where he is one of the league’s most effective defenders.
From the Pistons’ point of view, they have to be very happy to get a win even though they sleepwalked for most of the game. Rip Hamilton played terrific, carrying his team into the fourth quarter. It’s clear that neither the team nor its fans are taking the Cavs very seriously, and it almost came back to bite them last night.
