During the run, James, Love, Irving and Smith combined to sink four three-pointers and forced Detroit to burn a timeout to attempt to quell the Cavaliers’ production.
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“If he makes shots like he did tonight, there aren’t many people in the league who could match that”.
Where this turns from a joke to something potentially serious is the fourth quarter.
As Detroit Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson said before the 2016 NBA Playoffs ever started, they were ready for the challenge of taking on the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed in the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. They’re always saying something like they’re playing basketball, like they’re actually in the game. Front and center. With a bulls-eye on his back. Cleveland was a strong team at home all season, they got a bit of a challenge in the first game and will respond in this one.
LeBron is too good for most of these players, and there’s no shame in that. “A couple of brain farts on our end, on the defensive end”.
Unmistakably, Johnson has a healthy respect for James, but just won’t get punked in the course of this series.
Not during the game or after.
“He was walking away and I was walking in a straight line”, Johnson said. Can you make something up?
Clearly, Johnson is not afraid of James.
“I’d cut it down to 62 games”. I said I’m going to compete every night and give my hardest effort every night and live with it.
If nothing else, you have to love Johnson’s attitude.
Johnson thought that the timing of James’ words could be better. “It is what it is, he had a great game”.
The Cavs have used the three-point shot as a weapon all season long and it was the key in them blowing out the lead on Wednesday Night.
Kyrie Irving scored 22 and JR Smith had 21 in the win.
“Obviously I know my focus is not on that right now to be able to harp on that conversation, which we can dive into that at a later time”, James said.
“I looked at it as an important opportunity”, Love said, via Cleveland.com’s Matt Goul. The Pistons could manage 4 for 17 from deep after an impressive shooting performance in Game 1.
He has also refused to take a backwards step against the physical Pistons.
Kevin Love’s first taste of the postseason didn’t do quite as he hoped. Put him on the bench in foul trouble.
Damian Lillard and Mason Plumlee led the Blazers with 17 points each.
Portland threatened early in the final quarter but were outlasted by the Clippers, who scored 35 points to see out the game in Los Angeles.
Irving provided an all-around performance with 31 points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block.
The Pistons didn’t fold. “I don’t take anything from it but a cheap shot, a cheap bump”. Passing when it was there. He averaged 14.3 points and seven rebounds in a four-game sweep of the Boston Celtics before being missing the rest of the playoffs with a shoulder injury. “I don’t want to get a fine talking about referees, so that’s all I’m going to say”. While he just hit two longbombs on the night, James was instrumental in getting into the paint and thus passing out to open shooters, as the Pistons defense drew towards him in the lane. Then came Lance Stevenson, 23 at the time, blowing in James’ ear during a playoff series between the Heat and Pacers. “The learn aspect of this is great, regardless of what happens”. “I’m known for my fashion, am I not?” “It starts with our mindsets and it starts with how we approach the game”.
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And that’s the theme of this series for the Pistons. Download our Pistons Xtra app on iTunes or Android!
