Competition

As the pistons series rapidly approaches, the inevitable question has been posed many times over; “Do you think the Cavs can win?”

Of course they can. This team has 58 wins on the year. They’re showing balance and dedication. They have a leader who is not selfish with the basketball, but yet can still take over a game when needed. They have proven they can win road games in tough environments (4-1 on the road in the playoffs, winning two in Jersey where the Nets had won 10 in a row, including one against the now-humiliated Chicago Bulls).

Plus, I don’t think the Cavs need any extra help, but my gut tells me the NBA might provide it. Rasheed Wallace may find himself the victim of quick whistles this week. And when Rasheed gets to play victim, he plays it hard, which will lead to more quick whistles. You see, the NBA wants their superstar story in The Finals. They want….no, they NEED their storyline, and LeBron James IS that storyline. The last time the Spurs and Pistons played in The Finals, it was the least-watched NBA Finals in history. That prospect will not sit well with the brass.

However, what scares me the most about Game 1 is the competition. The Pistons are a great team, and we know we can beat them…but are we fully prepared?

The last time the Cavaliers played a team that was over .500, it was April 8th. And we lost that game….to Detroit, in Auburn Hills. 43 days since we played a team above .500. That’s not sitting well with me.

So tonight, we need to jump out early. Our history with the Pistons shows that we fall behind early, and we play catch-up the rest of the way…that usually never ends well. So we need to start out strong. Drew Gooden is a rebounding machine against these guys, and he needs to continue that. The Pistons give up a lot of offensive boards, and we’re good at receiving them…keep that up too. Keep the outside pressure on them, and make the Pistons take it inside. Ditto when we have the ball. When we shoot from the perimeter, make sure it takes three passes to get the open man some time to step into his shot.

Last year in Game 1 against the Pistons, we gave up 69 points in the first half, and trailed by 21. It made the entire game unwatchable, and our sluggish play continued until halftime of Game 2. We MUST come out strong in the first half tonight.

Tipoff is in 10 hours. Go Cavs!