Cavaliers comeback to beat Pistons 106-101 in game one
BY STONE LEXINGTON
CAVALIERS BEAT WRITER
It wasn’t pretty, but the Cleveland Cavaliers picked up their first win of the 2016 NBA Playoffs as they slipped past the well-coached Detroit Pistons with a 106-101 Game 1 victory Sunday afternoon in Quicken Loans Arena. With 15 more wins, the Cavs can end the drought of all sports droughts.
“We know this is Goliath,” Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson said after the loss.
The Cavs Big Three, consisting of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were all Goliaths as they combined to score 81 of the Cavs’ 106 points. Irving led the way with a game-high 31 points, five rebounds and six assists. Love totaled his team-leading 36th double-double of the season with 28 points and and a game-high 13 rebounds, while James, who set an NBA record with his 12th straight season averaging 25.0 points or more, finished with 22 points, six rebounds and 11 assists against the prideful Pistons.
“The only thing that we’re expected to do is be there for our teammates every night,” James said. “It’s not about the statistical category. It definitely starts with us (Big Three).
“It starts with our mindset. It starts with how we approach the game from a mental side, a physical side and a spiritual side. But, as far as the stats, those things will take care of itself.”
While the Cavs are the heavily favored club in the series, Detroit played Cleveland tough throughout the afternoon as the two teams exchanged the lead 17 times and tied 21 times. Neither team led by more than nine points in the contest, and the Cavs didn’t secure that nine-point lead until shooting guard J.R. Smith converted 1-of-2 free throws to give Cleveland a 105-96 lead with 11.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Less than three minutes earlier, Cleveland had a slim three-point lead after Jackson converted a layup and a free throw from a foul that brought Detroit within a 98-95 deficit with 2:50 to play. However, after Jackson’s three-point play, Cleveland used a quick 6-0 run to pull away late. In the run, Irving converted a layup, James overpowered Jackson in the paint for a layup and two Irving free throws gave Cleveland a 104-96 lead with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
“Our third quarters haven’t been the best this season,” Irving said. “But coming into the playoffs, we know that possessions really matter. Guys just did a great job setting screens coming out in the second half.”
There was a nervous energy in The Q when Cleveland found itself with just a two-point lead after the first quarter (27-25) and trailing 58-53 at halftime. After being in a five-point hole at the half, the Cavs kept their composure in the second half, winning the final two quarters 53-43.
“I thought in the second half, our defense really picked up,” Cavs lead man Tyronn Lue, who is still undefeated as a head coach in the playoffs (1-0), said.
Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy credited Cleveland’s Big Three.
“We just could never get any of their three main guys under control,” Van Gundy said.
Since he’s been a head coach in the league, Van Gundy has always been a leader in using innovative offenses. Despite experiencing a losing effort Sunday afternoon, Van Gundy’s offensive gameplan nearly secured a win on Cleveland’s home court. Cleveland allowed Detroit to connect on 15-of-29 three-pointers and shoot 51 percent from the field.
The Cavs, who hold a 1-0 series lead over Detroit, haven’t been too shabby on offense either this season. Cleveland made at least 10 three-pointers on 51 occasions this season, including 15 triples or more 11 times. The Cavs also finished the regular season with a franchise-record 880 three-pointers this season, which were also the 5th-most makes from beyond the arc for a single season in NBA history. In Sunday’s Game 1 matinee, Cleveland drained 12-of-35 three-point attempts against the inexperienced Pistons.
“I’m not really looking at the composure of an opponent or if they’re young or whatever the case may be, because we’re all out on the floor and we’re all professionals,” James said. “You have that type of mentality, that’s when you get stung.”
While James recorded his first double-double of the 2016 postseason, the Cavs shouldn’t have to rely on him as much as they did in last year’s playoffs. Cleveland’s king had an NBA-high 14 double-doubles in last season’s playoffs and averaged 30.1 points, a playoff career-high 11.3 rebounds and a playoff career-high 8.5 assists. Aside his ridiculous talent, James’ astronomical 2015 postseason stats were also due to injuries to Irving and Love. In the postseason last year, James joined Oscar Robertson as the only players to average 30.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists in a single postseason.
What amounts to relief for the Cavs’ organization and fans, Irving and Love both entered this year’s playoffs healthy. Love was the only player in the league to average at leasts 9.0 rebounds and connect on 100 or more three-pointers this season. Sunday against Detroit, Love converted four of his eight attempted three-pointers while also pulling down the most rebounds of any player on the court.
Four Pistons reached double-figures in scoring. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led Detroit with 21 points and Marcus Morris added 20 points and five assists. Jackson chipped-in 17 points and seven assists.
The Pistons won the regular season series 3-1 over Cleveland, but James missed one of those meetings and Irving missed two. Detroit’s downfall on Sunday could largely be attributed to the turnover differential. The Pistons committed 19 turnovers Sunday, while Cleveland turned the ball over just five times.
“I credit these guys (James and Irving),” Love said on his mentality coming out of halftime. “I credit the guys on the bench and coaching staff for keeping me locked in throughout and we have to do that this entire series.”
The Cavs are No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for third time in franchise history after putting together a 57-25 record in the regular season. Cleveland isn’t expected to have mush trouble with Detroit in the first round, but Sunday’s contest may have been the precursor to a competitive series. Game 2 is on Wednesday in Cleveland.
Cleveland earned the first win of 16 needed to end the worst drought in sports. The Cavs are hoping their 20th playoff appearance will be the one that brings Cleveland its first title in any sport in more than 50 years.
.
POSTED 04/17/2016 21:35
Lake County Sentinel
