<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> February 4, 2007 - 2:30 pm ET<span style="color:#000000">Game on ABC</span></div><span style="color:#0000FF">Detroit Pistons</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">(27-18)</span><span style="color:#FF0000">PG</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Chauncey Billups</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SG</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Rip Hamilton</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SF</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Tayshaun Prince</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PF</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Rasheed Wallace</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">C</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Chris Webber</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Antonio McDyess, Carlos Delfino, Lindsey Hunter, Jason Maxiell, Nazr Mohammed</span><span style="color:#990000">Cleveland Cavaliers</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">(27-20)</span><span style="color:#CC9933">PG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Daniel Gibson</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SF</span> <span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PF</span> <span style="color:#990000">Drew Gooden</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">C</span> <span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Anderson Varajoe, Eric Snow, Donyell Marshall, Sasha Pavlovic, Damon Jones</span> Injury ReportNone Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#0000FF">Chauncey Billups</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 18.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 7.6 apg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Rip Hamilton</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 22.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.6 apg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Rasheed Wallace</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 12.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.7 bpg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Tayshaun Prince</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 15.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.1 apg</span><span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 27.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 6.1 apg, 1.6 spg</span><span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 14.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.4 spg</span><span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 11.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#FF0000">DET:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Will Blalock</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 60</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">1.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">CLE:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Shannon Brown</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 25</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#990000">2.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.7 apg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">CLE:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Daniel Gibson</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 42</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#990000">4.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.1 apg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Detroit's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Chris Webber</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 11.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.4 apg</span><span style="color:#FF0000">As A Piston: 11.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.4 apg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Big Z is such a tough assignment because not only is he skilled and smooth, but he is 7'3''. He's a giant. C-Webb can't play soft today, he has to get under there and bang with Z. Getting him in foul trouble would work wonders for Detroit.</span><span style="color:#990000">Cleveland's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 14.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.4 spg</span><span style="color:#990000">Hughes has the responsibility of chasing the most durable swingman in the game, Rip Hamilton. Hughes will have a tough day, as everyone does when they have to chase Rip around all game long, but he's going to have to make the best of it.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#0000FF">Tayshaun Prince</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span></div><span style="color:#000000">LeBron is a top 5 player in the league, as we all know, but Tayshaun CAN slow him down. He's athletic, he's quick, he's extremely long, and he's a good defender. It'll be nice to see how Tayshaun handles LeBron, but Tayshaun is no slouch offensively either. This should be an awesome matchup, as always.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesI still don't know why/how Daniel Gibson's nickname is "Boobie," of all available nicknames out there. CelticBalla's PredictionI think Detroit will take it. They are the more talented team, without question, and they have a very good defensive team that I think will slow down Cleveland's offense. I do think Big Z could have a good game as long as Webber is matched up with him. I'm sure Sheed will too, but when Webber is on him, he needs to dominate.
Bah, I did all that work for nothing.Anyway, I have a bad feeling about this game. We don't do good in day games and on national TV.
From what I've seen so far-1. Webber can still get it done.2. Lebron is a beast.3. Flip needs to get a better rotation going. I want to see Maxiell off the bench early. Same with Delfino.
I WANT TO SEE FLIP OUT THERE!!!! lmfao!The cavaliers Defense down low, is ugly as hell. We need to get some help when ever Webber or Sheed are going to go down low.I love how Hughes has 10 points! Cavaliers need him badly, so hopeful he keeps playing some nice ball.
Congrats Pistons, you guys are gonna sweep the pathetic cavaliers.Honestly, James is not himself, and I have lost all faith in him.The Cavs are pathetic this far in the season.
Wow, what's happening to the Cavs and LeBron. This is the fourth home game they lost in a row. I agree Cavsrules LeBron needs to get some motivation again.
Yeah, that's is another sign of having no motivation. It's funny though that Alonzo Mourning almost shoots free throws better than LeBron. However, the entire team is pathetic when it comes to free throw shooting except Pavlovic and Zydrunas both are close 80%.
Free Throws are a problem, but we only shot like 4 last night. I think the NBA is embarrassed by our Free Throws, they never give us calls. The main problem is, the coach is a moron, LeBron is not the same from last season, he is no longer the 30,7,7 guy, he is the 19,6,9 guy. Sorry it's going to take more then that to win anything in this league. Larry Hughes can't do it all, he never drives, for a reason I am lost. The guy was a killer driver back with the Wizards. Everyone thought he was going to bring that to Cleveland, but failed to do so. I don't know, I guess he doesn't want to get hurt or something...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cavsrules @ Feb 5 2007, 03:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think the NBA is embarrassed by our Free Throws, they never give us calls. </div>Haha.Yeah, when Larry Hughes was brought in from the Wizards and how good a year he had with them he was supposed to be the key ingrediant that helped Lebron but then the injuries came and him not being as good as he was with the Wizards. I still wish they could have brought Redd in somehow.
<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS">Horrible free throw percentage by the Cavs, man... They're season percentage is (what?) about 68%, right? Horrendous. I liked LeBron in this game. He may not have scored so much, but he was still enjoyable to watch (no homo).</span>
Yeah, 68% is correct. Being enjoyable isn't going to help you win championships look at the suns the past couple years.
<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS">True, but being entertaining helps win MVP titles.. Just look at Steve Nash the past few seasons.. Two seasons to be exact.</span>
True, Nash is entertaining but I doubt it has much to do with him winning MVP titles. Both years several players were having career years in numerous things and so did Nash. Also, the second year the Suns lost Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson with Stoudemire to injury along with recieving four or five new players that also were having career years.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KiNg 0 @ Feb 5 2007, 04:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I still wish they could have brought Redd in somehow.</div>Honestly, I didn't think Hughes would leave the Wizards. After getting my league pass all set up again for another year of Wizards basketball, I got the news that the Cavaliers Signed Hughes. I went crazy, how I felt the day they signed my fav player to my fav team. I can't type enough words, I don't know enough words, to show u all how I felt. It was a great feeling. Now just image if they won a Championship!!! My fav team, My top 2 fav players, all winning a ring. Thats, just amazing. Only so many people can get lucky enough to have that happen.Anyway, Redd was the player I 'thought' would come here, but he so called, turned down the Cavaliers offer to join them, and re signed with the Bucks. I guess he just liked the way they were going, etc.
I was actually excited too because like I said at the time he was playing very nice basketball and me wanting LeBron to win a championship but overtime the excitement faded.Also, Redd probably did not want to be the second option. Even with that, there were so many times LeBron could have used someone the last second when going to the paint and dishing it outside. This could have worked wonders with Redd.
