Their bright start was followed by four straight losses on the road. The Cavs are grabbing 11.2 offensive rebounds per game, one more than league average. Detroit won its sixth game of the season Tuesday night, beating LeBron James and Cleveland. And there were plenty of fans there to see James and root for him. They were waiting for the Cavs, with fresh legs under them and the home crowd behind them.
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After all, the Pistons are young and rebuilding.
Sure, James slumped his shoulders when Mozgov fumbled his pass in the first quarter, but he didn’t yell. His process has prioritized surrounding Drummond with young, cool-headed guards and wings with good jumpers and defensive discipline, and doing it quickly, before the center’s prime is wasted or, worse, spent elsewhere-Andre is up for a new contract next summer. Drummond commented on what he needed to do to hit the big shot, “It comes to a point where I’ve just got to shoot with confidence”.
Van Gundy credited Jackson for sparking the comeback, as Detroit finished the game on a 14-4 run. “It turned into a grind-it-out affair down the stretch”.
“I just take it one day at a time”, said Williams, who, if he had a desire to discuss his career arc after Cleveland’s loss to the Pistons on Tuesday, did a great job hiding it.
“I don’t know when that point came”, he said. For now, the fun is watching them continue to figure it out. “We cut it to two or five points, then the floodgates opened for them”. Still, he was afforded patience as he adapted to his new starting role, he was celebrated in the postseason for helping overcome Love’s absence, much was written about the expected massive contract he’ll take in during 2016 as a free agent, and he was afforded (accurate) excuses for a slow start due to his offseason knee injury.
On the schedule, it looked like it would be a gift for Cleveland. “It was a long trip”. Reggie Jackson posted 23 points with 12 assists and six boards as Detroit snapped a four-game losing streak. We’re not entitled to a win, we’re not entitled to being Eastern Conference champions. We’re not entitled to a win.
His sentimental return to his hometown pretty much makes him “stuck” in Cleveland and the mission to bring a title to the hapless city.
It’s never about a location, be it close or far.
That’s what the Pistons are offering these days.
Batum averaged 25.5 points last week, and one of the Hornets’ victories came when they edged the Knicks, 95-93, after video review waved off Porzingis’ apparent victor.
And while their correct record will eventually adjust, there’s no denying that the team is fun, energetic with a don’t-quit attitude.
Coach David Blatt said the Cavs need to “toughen up” and James echoed that by saying, “We’re too relaxed and too nice”. “We’re not better than (anyone) in the league”.
With a raucous 18,442 packed into the Palace – legitimate numbers, no papering of the house here – it was turn back the clock night and the Pistons played like a team that knew how to get the mission accomplished. “We’re just trying to get better”. It was good to see our team play well.
It is hard to make sense out of this argument as Love is playing well for Cleveland Cavaliers ever since he returned from injury in last season’s playoffs. Now Drummond has more room to operate inside, but opposing teams can also pay more attention to him.
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He nailed a 7-foot floater two minutes into the game. I think we need to understand that.
