GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: CLEVELAND (9-6) at DETROIT (8-5)

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 68
DETROIT 90 5:58 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 72
DETROIT 99 2:42 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 74
DETROIT 107 0:40 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 74
DETROIT 109 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CLEVELAND 22 21 16 15 74
DETROIT 23 25 29 32 109 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: CLE - LEBRON JAMES 15, ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 13,
DREW GOODEN 9
DET - RICHARD HAMILTON 18, TAYSHAUN PRINCE 16,
ANTONIO MCDYESS 14</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
CLEVELAND 74
DETROIT 109 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (74) AT DETROIT (109)

CLEVELAND

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

D GIBSON G 21:45 2-3 0-0 0 1 1 2 4 1 1 5
S PAVLOVIC G 30:29 6-10 0-0 0 2 2 2 1 0 3 13
D GOODEN F 31:52 4-10 1-2 2 7 9 0 2 2 4 9
L JAMES F 19:31 5-11 5-9 0 1 1 3 1 0 0 15
Z ILGAUSKAS C 23:18 2-8 4-4 1 2 3 0 1 1 0 8
DA JONES 20:58 2-2 0-0 2 3 5 0 4 1 0 4
D BROWN 18:54 2-5 0-0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 5
DW JONES 17:34 2-5 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6
I NEWBLE 17:43 1-4 0-0 1 0 1 1 3 0 2 3
E SNOW 16:44 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 2 2 0 1 0
D NICHOLS 8:34 1-5 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2
S BROWN 12:38 1-6 2-2 0 1 1 2 2 0 1 4

TOTALS 240:00 28-70 12-17 6 17 23 14 21 6 15 74
(.400) (.706) TEAM REBS: 9 TOTAL TO: 16 (0 PTS)

DETROIT

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

C BILLUPS G 32:55 2-5 2-2 0 4 4 5 1 0 3 7
R HAMILTON G 31:33 8-14 2-2 2 0 2 6 1 2 2 18
A MCDYESS F 26:52 6-8 2-6 3 5 8 0 2 0 2 14
T PRINCE F 26:51 8-12 0-0 0 1 1 4 2 0 0 16
R WALLACE C 25:01 3-8 3-3 2 6 8 3 0 2 1 9
N MOHAMMED 19:13 3-4 1-2 2 3 5 1 1 0 1 7
R MURRAY 19:11 4-7 0-0 0 2 2 5 0 2 1 8
J HAYES 18:25 4-6 0-0 1 1 2 1 3 2 1 9
J MAXIELL 15:19 3-5 3-4 3 7 10 1 1 0 0 9
A JOHNSON 9:35 3-5 1-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 7
A AFFLALO 8:01 1-1 3-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
L HUNTER 7:04 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 4 1 1 0 0

TOTALS 240:00 45-77 17-23 13 30 43 30 12 9 11 109
(.584) (.739) TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 12 (0 PTS)

CLEVELAND 22 21 16 15 - 74
DETROIT 23 25 29 32 - 109

BLOCKED SHOTS: CLEVELAND - NONE, DETROIT - A MCDYESS 2, R WALLACE 2,
J HAYES 2, A JOHNSON 2, T PRINCE.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: CLEVELAND 6-15 (.400), D GIBSON 1-1, S PAVLOVIC 1-
3, L JAMES 0-2, D BROWN 1-2, DW JONES 2-2, I NEWBLE 1-2, D NICHOLS 0-
2, S BROWN 0-1. DETROIT 2-11 (.182), C BILLUPS 1-3, R WALLACE 0-4,
R MURRAY 0-2, J HAYES 1-1, L HUNTER 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: CLEVELAND - TEAM TECHNICAL FOUL.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: MARK AYOTTE, RON GARRETSON, VIOLET PALMER.
A - 22,076. T - 2:20.</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (74)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
D Gibson 21:45 2-3 0-0 0-1 2 4 5
S Pavlovic 30:29 6-10 0-0 0-2 2 1 13
D Gooden 31:52 4-10 1-2 2-9 0 2 9
L James 19:31 5-11 5-9 0-1 3 1 15
Z Ilgauskas 23:18 2-8 4-4 1-3 0 1 8
Da Jones 20:58 2-2 0-0 2-5 0 4 4
D Brown 18:54 2-5 0-0 0-0 1 1 5
Dw Jones 17:34 2-5 0-0 0-0 1 0 6
I Newble 17:43 1-4 0-0 1-1 1 3 3
E Snow 16:44 0-1 0-0 0-0 2 2 0
D Nichols 8:34 1-5 0-0 0-0 0 0 2
S Brown 12:38 1-6 2-2 0-1 2 2 4

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 28-70 12-17 6-23 14 21 74
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.400, FT-.706. 3-Point Goals:
6-15, .400 (D Gibson 1-1, S Pavlovic 1-3, L
James 0-2, D Brown 1-2, Dw Jones 2-2, I
Newble 1-2, D Nichols 0-2, S Brown 0-1). Team
Rebounds: 9. Blocked Shots: 0. Turnovers:15
(D Gooden 4, S Pavlovic 3, I Newble 2, D
Brown 2, E Snow, D Nichols, S Brown, D
Gibson). Steals: 6 (D Gooden 2, Z Ilgauskas,
D Brown, D Gibson, Da Jones).


DETROIT (109)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
C Billups 32:55 2-5 2-2 0-4 5 1 7
R Hamilton 31:33 8-14 2-2 2-2 6 1 18
A McDyess 26:52 6-8 2-6 3-8 0 2 14
T Prince 26:51 8-12 0-0 0-1 4 2 16
R Wallace 25:01 3-8 3-3 2-8 3 0 9
N Mohammed 19:13 3-4 1-2 2-5 1 1 7
R Murray 19:11 4-7 0-0 0-2 5 0 8
J Hayes 18:25 4-6 0-0 1-2 1 3 9
J Maxiell 15:19 3-5 3-4 3-10 1 1 9
A Johnson 9:35 3-5 1-1 0-1 0 0 7
A Afflalo 8:01 1-1 3-3 0-0 0 0 5
L Hunter 7:04 0-2 0-0 0-0 4 1 0

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 45-77 17-23 13-43 30 12 109
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.584, FT-.739. 3-Point Goals:
2-11, .182 (C Billups 1-3, R Wallace 0-4, R
Murray 0-2, J Hayes 1-1, L Hunter 0-1). Team
Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:9 (A McDyess 2, R
Wallace 2, J Hayes 2, A Johnson 2, T Prince).
Turnovers:11 (C Billups 3, A McDyess 2, R
Hamilton 2, R Wallace, N Mohammed, J Hayes, R
Murray). Steals: 9 (R Wallace 2, R Hamilton
2, J Hayes 2, R Murray 2, L Hunter).

-------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND 22 21 16 15 - 74
DETROIT 23 25 29 32 - 109
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Cleveland - 1 (Technical
Foul, 2:09 4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 22,076. T: 2:20.
Officials: Mark Ayotte, Ron Garretson, Violet
Palmer.</div>

 

By Chuck Klonke
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- LeBron James' return to thesite of his greatest playoff performance was cut short.

Richard Hamilton scored 18 points as the Detroit Pistons got asmall measure of revenge against the Cleveland Cavaliers,109-74, on Wednesday.


Tayshaun Prince scored 16 points and Antonio McDyess had 14 andeight rebounds for Detroit, which blew open a five-pointhalftime lead after Cleveland's superstar did not return in thesecond half with an injury to his left index finger.

James sprained his digit when he was fouled by Pistons centerNazr Mohammed with 4:41 remaining in the first half. Thethree-time All-Star made both free throws and stayed on thecourt for the rest of the half.


However, after X-rays at halftime proved negative, James did notreturn for the second half.


A team spokesman said that James would be evaluated on Thursday.He finished with 15 points and three assists in 18 first-halfminutes.


Cleveland is already missing starting guard Larry Hughes, who isout for a month with a deep bone bruise in his leg, and forwardDonyell Marshall, who has a sprained right wrist.


James and company were looking forward to returning to the siteof one of the biggest wins in franchise history.


After losing the first two games of the Eastern Conferencefinals to the Pistons, the Cavaliers came back to win thelast four games to earn a berth in the NBA Finals against SanAntonio.


James had one of the greatest playoff games in NBA history inthe pivotal Game Five, scoring a career playoff-high 48 points -including the last 25 by Cleveland in a 109-107 double-overtimevictory.


The Cavaliers then went on to win Game Six at home to reachtheir first-ever Finals.


In this game, Hamilton snapped out of a season-long shootingslump as he went 8-for-14 from the field for Detroit, which shot58 percent (45-of-77) from the field.


The Pistons took advantage of James' absence in the thirdquarter as they outscored Cleveland, 29-16, to take a 77-59 leadinto the final period.


Detroit didn't ease up in the fourth, increasing its lead to 24points before coach Flip Saunders cleared his bench.

Sasha Pavlovic scored 13 points for Cleveland, which shot 40percent (28-of-70) and scored just 31 points in the second half.

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (74) AT DETROIT (109)

CLEVELAND

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

D GIBSON G 21:45 2-3 0-0 0 1 1 2 4 1 1 5
S PAVLOVIC G 30:29 6-10 0-0 0 2 2 2 1 0 3 13
D GOODEN F 31:52 4-10 1-2 2 7 9 0 2 2 4 9
L JAMES F 19:31 5-11 5-9 0 1 1 3 1 0 0 15
Z ILGAUSKAS C 23:18 2-8 4-4 1 2 3 0 1 1 0 8
DA JONES 17:34 2-2 0-0 2 3 5 0 4 1 0 4
D BROWN 18:54 2-5 0-0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 5
DW JONES 20:58 2-5 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6
I NEWBLE 17:43 1-4 0-0 1 0 1 1 3 0 2 3
E SNOW 16:44 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 2 2 0 1 0
D NICHOLS 8:34 1-5 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2
S BROWN 12:38 1-6 2-2 0 1 1 2 2 0 1 4

TOTALS 240:00 28-70 12-17 6 17 23 14 21 6 15 74
(.400) (.706) TEAM REBS: 9 TOTAL TO: 16 (23 PTS)

DETROIT

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

C BILLUPS G 32:55 2-5 2-2 0 4 4 5 1 0 3 7
R HAMILTON G 31:33 8-14 2-2 2 0 2 6 1 2 2 18
A MCDYESS F 26:52 6-8 2-6 3 5 8 0 2 0 2 14
T PRINCE F 26:51 8-12 0-0 0 1 1 4 2 0 0 16
R WALLACE C 25:01 3-8 3-3 2 6 8 3 0 2 1 9
N MOHAMMED 19:13 3-4 1-2 2 3 5 1 1 0 1 7
R MURRAY 19:11 4-7 0-0 0 2 2 5 0 2 1 8
J HAYES 18:25 4-6 0-0 1 1 2 1 3 2 1 9
J MAXIELL 15:19 3-5 3-4 3 7 10 1 1 0 0 9
A JOHNSON 9:35 3-5 1-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 7
A AFFLALO 8:01 1-1 3-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
L HUNTER 7:04 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 4 1 1 0 0

TOTALS 240:00 45-77 17-23 13 30 43 30 12 9 11 109
(.584) (.739) TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 12 (5 PTS)

CLEVELAND 22 21 16 15 - 74
DETROIT 23 25 29 32 - 109

BLOCKED SHOTS: CLEVELAND - NONE, DETROIT - A MCDYESS 2, R WALLACE 2,
J HAYES 2, A JOHNSON 2, T PRINCE.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: CLEVELAND 6-15 (.400), D GIBSON 1-1, S PAVLOVIC 1-
3, L JAMES 0-2, D BROWN 1-2, DW JONES 2-2, I NEWBLE 1-2, D NICHOLS 0-
2, S BROWN 0-1. DETROIT 2-11 (.182), C BILLUPS 1-3, R WALLACE 0-4,
R MURRAY 0-2, J HAYES 1-1, L HUNTER 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: CLEVELAND - TEAM TECHNICAL FOUL.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: MARK AYOTTE, RON GARRETSON, VIOLET PALMER.
A - 22,076. T - 2:14.</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at DETROIT

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND (74)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
D Gibson 21:45 2-3 0-0 0-1 2 4 5
S Pavlovic 30:29 6-10 0-0 0-2 2 1 13
D Gooden 31:52 4-10 1-2 2-9 0 2 9
L James 19:31 5-11 5-9 0-1 3 1 15
Z Ilgauskas 23:18 2-8 4-4 1-3 0 1 8
Da Jones 17:34 2-2 0-0 2-5 0 4 4
D Brown 18:54 2-5 0-0 0-0 1 1 5
Dw Jones 20:58 2-5 0-0 0-0 1 0 6
I Newble 17:43 1-4 0-0 1-1 1 3 3
E Snow 16:44 0-1 0-0 0-0 2 2 0
D Nichols 8:34 1-5 0-0 0-0 0 0 2
S Brown 12:38 1-6 2-2 0-1 2 2 4

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 28-70 12-17 6-23 14 21 74
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.400, FT-.706. 3-Point Goals:
6-15, .400 (D Gibson 1-1, S Pavlovic 1-3, L
James 0-2, D Brown 1-2, Dw Jones 2-2, I
Newble 1-2, D Nichols 0-2, S Brown 0-1). Team
Rebounds: 9. Blocked Shots: 0. Turnovers:15
(D Gooden 4, S Pavlovic 3, I Newble 2, D
Brown 2, E Snow, D Nichols, S Brown, D
Gibson). Steals: 6 (D Gooden 2, Z Ilgauskas,
D Brown, D Gibson, Da Jones).


DETROIT (109)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
C Billups 32:55 2-5 2-2 0-4 5 1 7
R Hamilton 31:33 8-14 2-2 2-2 6 1 18
A McDyess 26:52 6-8 2-6 3-8 0 2 14
T Prince 26:51 8-12 0-0 0-1 4 2 16
R Wallace 25:01 3-8 3-3 2-8 3 0 9
N Mohammed 19:13 3-4 1-2 2-5 1 1 7
R Murray 19:11 4-7 0-0 0-2 5 0 8
J Hayes 18:25 4-6 0-0 1-2 1 3 9
J Maxiell 15:19 3-5 3-4 3-10 1 1 9
A Johnson 9:35 3-5 1-1 0-1 0 0 7
A Afflalo 8:01 1-1 3-3 0-0 0 0 5
L Hunter 7:04 0-2 0-0 0-0 4 1 0

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 45-77 17-23 13-43 30 12 109
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.584, FT-.739. 3-Point Goals:
2-11, .182 (C Billups 1-3, R Wallace 0-4, R
Murray 0-2, J Hayes 1-1, L Hunter 0-1). Team
Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:9 (A McDyess 2, R
Wallace 2, J Hayes 2, A Johnson 2, T Prince).
Turnovers:11 (C Billups 3, A McDyess 2, R
Hamilton 2, R Wallace, N Mohammed, J Hayes, R
Murray). Steals: 9 (R Wallace 2, R Hamilton
2, J Hayes 2, R Murray 2, L Hunter).

-------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND 22 21 16 15 - 74
DETROIT 23 25 29 32 - 109
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Cleveland - 1 (Technical
Foul, 2:09 4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 22,076. T: 2:14.
Officials: Mark Ayotte, Ron Garretson, Violet
Palmer.</div>

 

By Chuck Klonke
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- LeBron James' return to the siteof his greatest playoff performance was cut short.

Richard Hamilton scored 18 points as the Detroit Pistons got asmall measure of revenge against the Cleveland Cavaliers,109-74, on Wednesday.


Tayshaun Prince scored 16 points and Antonio McDyess had 14 andeight rebounds for Detroit, which blew open a five-pointhalftime lead after Cleveland's superstar did not return in thesecond half with an injury to his left index finger.

James sprained his digit when he was fouled by Pistons centerNazr Mohammed with 4:41 remaining in the first half. Thethree-time All-Star made both free throws and stayed on thecourt for the rest of the half.


However, after X-rays at halftime proved negative, James did notreturn for the second half.


A team spokesman said that James would be evaluated on Thursday.He finished with 15 points and three assists in 18 first-halfminutes.


James left without speaking to reporters.


"LeBron's a pretty important part of our team," Cavaliers coachMike Brown said. "It was a five-point ballgame that Detroitended up running away with in the second half. He impacts thegame on both ends of the court."


The extent of James' injury caught his teammates by surprise.

"I didn't know anything of it until we set foot on the court andI didn't see him," Cavaliers forward Drew Gooden said. "It wasa surprise and a shock to us, but we still have to find a wayto fight through adversity. But it's tough enough being downand having to try to come back, especially without the guy wholeads you."


McDyess said that the Cavaliers aren't the same team withoutJames.


"It's a totally different team when he's not playing," McDyesssaid. "They definitely miss him when he's not there. I don'tknow if they lose confidence or not, but he's a big key for thatteam."


Cleveland is already missing starting guard Larry Hughes, who isout for a month with a deep bone bruise in his leg, and forwardDonyell Marshall, who has a sprained right wrist.


"All teams go through the injury plague," Gooden said. "Rightnow, we have a lot of guys down, but we have to find a way."

James and company were looking forward to returning to the siteof one of the biggest wins in franchise history.


After losing the first two games of the Eastern Conferencefinals to the Pistons, the Cavaliers came back to win the lastfour games to earn a berth in the NBA Finals against SanAntonio.


James had one of the greatest playoff games in NBA history inthe pivotal Game Five, scoring a career playoff-high 48 points -including the last 25 by Cleveland in a 109-107 double-overtimevictory.


The Cavaliers then went on to win Game Six at home to reachtheir first-ever Finals.


In this game, Hamilton snapped out of a season-long shootingslump as he went 8-for-14 from the field for Detroit, which shot58 percent (45-of-77) from the field.


"This was the best I've felt all season," Hamilton said. "Thenin the fourth quarter, I wound up hyper-extending my elbow. Wedon't play again until Saturday, so I've got a few days torehab."


Hamilton said the Pistons used more motion in their offense thanthey've used lately.


"When I'm in motion, I'm able to wear my guy down, and I'm moreeffective," Hamilton said. "With a little guy like (Daniel)Gibson on me, I knew I could get my shot."


The Pistons took advantage of James' absence in the thirdquarter as they outscored Cleveland, 29-16, to take a 77-59 leadinto the final period.


"They made a run at us at the end of the second quarter,"Hamilton said. "But when we saw that LeBron didn't come out forthe second half, we said, 'As long as we execute and don't playlike we're going to win this game easily because he's not here,we'll be all right.' We just had to continue doing what we didin the first half."


Detroit didn't ease up in the fourth, increasing its lead to 24points before coach Flip Saunders cleared his bench.

Sasha Pavlovic scored 13 points for Cleveland, which shot 40percent (28-of-70) and scored just 31 points in the second half.