NBA

Pistons suffocate James, Cavs

By TIMES WIRES
Published May 22, 2006

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - In a single half, the Pistons taught LeBron James everything he needs to know about defense in the playoffs and finished off another series comeback.

While Detroit moves on to its fourth straight Eastern Conference final, the 21-year-old Cavaliers superstar is left to ponder his dizzying lesson.

"They trapped me; they went under screens; they went over screens," said James, who was held to one second-half field goal in Detroit's 79-61 victory Sunday in Game 7. "I've seen almost every defense that I could possibly see for the rest of my career in this series.

"That's why they're Eastern Conference champions, and that's why they keep winning."

Playing in his first postseason, James was sensational at times, pushing the favorite-to-win-the-title Pistons to the brink of elimination.

"There's nobody on his level that can get his teammates involved like he does," said Tayshaun Prince, who led the Pistons with 20 points. "He sees the plays before they even happen, and no one else does that. That's the reason this went seven games."

The Cavs were down by two at halftime, but Detroit smothered James in the second half and took command with a 19-6 run that started in the third quarter and ended with a 67-52 lead midway through the fourth. James and the upstart Cavs were helpless when it mattered most.

Detroit held Cleveland to the fewest points in any Game 7 in history; the third fewest in any playoff game since 1955; and 23 points in the second half, which tied the fewest in a postseason half since the shot clock was introduced a half-century ago.

The Cavs made 31 percent of their shots and scored fewer points than any team this postseason.

"In a pressure situation, you do what you do best, and for us, that's defending," coach Flip Saunders said. "We locked down."

In a rematch of last season's conference final, Detroit hosts Miami on Tuesday in Game 1. The Heat has been resting since eliminating New Jersey on Tuesday.

"We can catch our breath for about eight hours," Saunders said.

The Pistons are the first team to reach the conference final in four straight years since the Bulls did it from 1990-93.

CLEVELAND (61): James 11-24 5-8 27, Gooden 0-4 2-2 2, Ilgauskas 3-8 2-2 8, Murray 1-4 0-0 2, Snow 1-5 2-4 4, Marshall 0-5 2-2 2, Jones 0-5 0-0 0, Hughes 2-6 5-6 10, Varejao 2-4 2-3 6, Pavlovic 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-65 20-27 61.

DETROIT (79): Prince 7-16 5-6 20, R.Wallace 4-16 5-8 13, B.Wallace 3-4 0-4 6, Hamilton 5-10 5-8 15, Billups 4-10 3-4 12, Hunter 3-5 0-0 7, McDyess 3-4 0-2 6, Delk 0-2 0-0 0, Evans 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-68 18-32 79.

Cleveland 15231013-61

3-Pointers-Cleveland 1-12 (Hughes 1-1, Murray 0-1, Jones 0-3, Marshall 0-3, James 0-4), Detroit 3-13 (Prince 1-1, Hunter 1-3, Billups 1-5, Hamilton 0-2, R.Wallace 0-2). Fouled Out-Ilgauskas. Rebounds-Cleveland 44 (James 8), Detroit 61 (B.Wallace 9). Assists-Cleveland 9 (Hughes 5), Detroit 11 (Billups, Prince 3). Fouls-Cleveland 28, Detroit 22. A-22,076.

MAVS-SPURS: The boos turned to cheers for Michael Finley as soon as he returned to San Antonio.

When the Spurs' team plane arrived at home early Saturday, about 1,000 fans were there to congratulate them for rallying back from a 3-1 deficit to force Game 7 tonight against Dallas.

"This is the benefit of having one of the best records in the league," Spurs forward Bruce Bowen said Sunday. "But (winning) is not given to us because we're at home. We have to fight for this."

Over the past four postseasons, home teams have won 13 of 16 Game 7s. That includes Detroit's win Sunday.

Dallas already has blown two chances to advance. A third would make the Mavericks only the ninth team in league history to squander a 3-1 series lead.

CLIPPERS-SUNS: Steve Nash and the rest of his Phoenix teammates got some much-needed rest for their second Game 7 of the playoffs.

The Suns face a Clippers team playing the biggest game in that franchise's mostly sad history.

The winner tonight advances to the Western final, where the Clippers never have been.

"It's the ultimate," Nash said.

The game will be played in front of an orange-clad packed house at US Airways Center, where the Suns blew out the other Los Angeles team, the Lakers, in Game 7 of the first round.

"I don't anticipate a Lakers Game 7," the Suns' Raja Bell said. "I think they're probably more up for the challenge than the Lakers were as far as being ready to play."

[Last modified May 22, 2006, 01:05:14]