来源: http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/insider/columns/ story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=ScoutingCavaliersPistons-Game2 Scouts Inc. update: Cavaliers vs. Pistons, Game 2 Thorpe By David Thorpe Scouts Inc. (Archive) Insider Updated: May 24, 2007 * Comment * Email * Print ‧ Cavs-Pistons series scouting report | Series page LeBron James made the right play at the end of Game 1. There is little debate within my circle of NBA coaches and executives. We like that coach Mike Brown put Donyell Marshall in that spot considering that his other options were a combined 1-for-9 from 3-point land and Marshall was coming off that huge game against New Jersey. I'm sure Marshall, James and Brown all felt he would knock the shot down. As I wrote in the series preview, the winner of this matchup likely will be the team that knocks down more open jumpers. Need proof? The Cavs outrebounded Detroit by eight, had nine less turnovers, shot as many free throws as Detroit did, and still lost. Cleveland being a missed 3-pointer away from stealing Game 1 is a testament to its defensive prowess, because they only made 32 of 86 field-goal attempts. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes and Marshall missed open shots late, while Chauncey Billups hit two late 3s -- the last one with less than two minutes to play, giving the Pistons the lead. Ballgame. It's obvious that Cleveland needs more from LeBron, but what can they do? Actually, the Cavs may have already figured out an answer. Early in Game 1, it became apparent that Rasheed Wallace was acting as a designated center fielder, with the task of running at James once he put the ball down and got to an important spot on the floor. Wallace's length and basketball IQ made it tough on James to get an easy shot at the basket; Sheed's angles of pursuit were perfect. Forcing James into a jump shooter is what every team hopes for, but it requires an excellent tandem, which Prince and Wallace are. Getting James off his game allowed Coach Saunders to put Carlos Delfino on James without any harm when Prince was resting. Delfino just played him topside and forced him to the baseline where he knew Wallace was helping. Wallace's man too often stayed high, with Detroit's guards nearby, or he dove inside, where he ran into a posting Ilgauskas, allowing Big Z's man to defend both post players. But in the fourth quarter, Cleveland kept the post clear and had Wallace's man head straight to the rim while Ilgauskas stayed high. The Cavs were able to score on some dunks and easy jumpers, so we can expect a different strategy on James in Game 2. As for James, he needs to convert easy opportunities in transition and initiate contact with Prince on his drives to get to the free-throw line. He had zero attempts in Game 1. As expected, Prince's defensive prowess caused James some problems, and Wallace just made it that much more difficult. The Pistons' length is tough to beat at the rim, so James should go to his mid-range game. Not at 18 feet, but 10-15 feet. The Pistons, despite winning, are caught in a bit of a conundrum. They take pride in being a grind-it-out team on offense, slowing the pace and shortening the game while maximizing each possession with excellent efficiency and balanced scoring. But a shortened game, matched up against Cleveland's outstanding defense and a talent like James, means the games likely will be very tight; an extra made shot here or there could translate into a victory for Cleveland. The Pistons got many of their best looks early in their offense, and made them late in the game. So, do the Pistons push tempo a little more in hopes of freeing up their shooters while trying to score enough to create a working margin? Or do they stay with the status quo, and hope for another missed 3 at the buzzer? Either way, they will need a sharper Billups. Yes he made some clutch shots, but Hughes and the Cavs' hyperaware help defenders constantly got their hands on his passes or dribbles. His seven turnovers would have made him goat No. 1 had Marshall connected. I look for Cleveland to continue to harass and trap Billups in the hopes of upsetting that efficient Pistons attack. Each team is more aware now of how to score against each other, so I do not expect every game to look like Game 1. But knowing how to score and actually doing it are not the same thing. Detroit should do a better job on the offensive glass in Game 2 (an improvement was seen in the second half of Game 1) and will throw more surprises at James. LeBron should have a strong bounce-back game, perhaps getting that triple-double while scoring 25 or so. But I still don't like Cleveland's chances of having a strong shooting night until they get home. I see Game 2 ending like Game 1 -- Detroit making an extra open shot or two to hang on and win PREDICTION: Detroit wins Game 2 -- 生活 就是要浪费在美好的事物上 --

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