24 minutes in, it looked like what has turned out to be a classic series would get a fittingly classic ending. Unfortunately for all those hoping to witness some true postseason drama, Detroit had been hiding an entirely different gear the entire series – and waited until the latest possible moment to let it out. We all heard the Flip Saunders chatter during the 3-game Cavalier run, and the radio analyst I happened to be listening to half an hour before tip off even went as far as to say that Detroit just wasn’t that good of a defensive club now that Saunders had replaced Larry Brown. I wonder what he will be saying tomorrow night?
Detroit’s defensive adjustments…
The fact that Detroit’s defensive statistics were down this season meant nothing in the second half of this one, when Tayshaun Prince and several help defenders dogged LeBron James mercilessly. Every time he touched the ball, even before he put it on the floor, the help came. Despite the fact that Detroit was sometimes sending three players at James and the league’s darling is generally recognized as an outstanding passer, the Cavaliers were unable to make Detroit pay for such blatant disregard of the other four players on the floor.
The Pistons help each other out on the defensive end as well as any team I have ever watched, but equally important was Cleveland’s inability to adjust to Detroit’s Lebron-swarming scheme. James repeatedly settled for low-percentage contested jumpers, and his teammates were content to stand around and watch. The Cavaliers aren’t the Phoenix Suns, but one would think they could have gotten Detroit’s D rotating at least somewhat. How about a drive and kick, Lebron? Maybe a post feed to Big Z? Lebron James, the other four players on the floor, and the coaching staff all deserve partial blame here.
The result was a historically ugly half of basketball for Cleveland: 23 points in all, 5-26 from the field, and 1-9 for James.
A Prince Topples a King
It is easy to forget about Tayshaun Prince in Detroit’s balanced lineup. He is probably the 5th biggest name on the team, and he doesn’t put up gaudy stats or hog the spotlight. Nonetheless, Tayshaun Prince has a way of making you regret forgetting about Tayshaun Prince. Chauncey Billups might have the MVP credentials. Ben Wallace might be the scary shot swatter. Rip Hamilton might be the go-too scorer, and Rasheed Wallace might command most of the attention in the papers with his mouth. But make no mistake about it - this win was about Tayshaun Prince.
He should get a medal just for the way he defended LeBron James in the second half, but Prince was doing more. Detroit went to him repeatedly in the second half, exploiting the size advantage he had on Cavalier defenders like Larry Hughes and Flip Murray. He operated in the mid-post with a miraculous comfort level, scooping shots to the basket before help defense could arrive, finding the open man if it did get there in time, and following his own misses if option A or B didn’t work out. As shocking as Detroit’s clamp-down was, it was Prince’s relentlessness on the other end of the court that broke the spirit of the Cavaliers.
Prince doesn’t look like a champion – he’s skinny, somewhat awkward, and probably a bit –slow footed. Nonetheless, he is the type of player that championship teams are built around. He doesn’t need to take shots to impact a game, but he can and will make them when his team requires it of him. His defense and effort will be there every night. There have been numerous moments over the past two postseasons that I have come away in awe of what Prince does, but this is the time that I vow not to forget just how good Tayshaun Prince actually is.
LeBron vs Everybody Else
Of course, the hot topic on everybody's mind at the moment has to be just how far into the stratosphere LeBron's James' status has actually risen. Is he the NBA's premier talent? I don't think there is any doubt about James being the most marketable superstar since MJ. But is he the best player to set foot on an NBA court at this moment? I think this topic is very much up for debate. James has shown the ability to take over basketball games and make clutch plays, both shooting and passing the basketball. At the same time, this 4th quarter failure shows that James is far from invincible just yet. His jumper is still somewhat of a work in progress, and LeBron clearly lost his mental edge down the stretch. I'm not saying Kobe or Duncan or Dirk would have done better in his shoes this postseason but I am going to cop out on this one, and ask for another year before I annoint him as theclear-cut #1 player in the league...
