One man’s journal from game seven of the Eastern Conference semis between Cleveland and Detroit.

3:30: My worst fear turns out to be unsubstantiated.  Since I woke up in the morning, nursing a pretty nasty hangover (Sabres playoff win celebration) I dreaded the possibility of tuning into ABC and having to deal with Bill Walton for the better part of three hours.  Turns out Hubie Brown and Mike Breem are calling the game.  Whew.

3:33: It’s only two minutes into the contest and it’s already 7-0 Pistons. Has a game ever had the makings of a blowout so quickly?

3:39: Cavs couldn’t have gotten off to a worst start.  Half a quarter down and they’re already trailing by ten.  Flip Murray is in the lineup right now again because? Cleveland is 2-for-10 from the field.

3:42: If I was a betting man I would’ve lost my shirt.  I was ready to  wager my mortgage that during the first ABC commercial break, there would've been at least one promo for the finale of  “Desperate Housewives” 

A year ago you couldn’t sit through a pair of Tony Parker free throws without hearing about Eva Longoria and her ‘desperate’ cast mates.  12 months later I’ve forgotten the show is still on the air.

(For those who care, tonight’s Desperate Housewives is a two-hour season finale in which a series of flashbacks take us back to moving-in day on Wisteria Lane for Bree, Susan, Gaby and Lynette, and to how Mary Alice Young brought them all together. Meanwhile Bree gets some frightening news, Susan moves into a trailer, Lynette discovers Tom's secret and all is not well in the house of Solis.)

3:43: Lebron scores his first bucket of the game.  Over the next four possessions he also scores his second third and fourth buckets.  The Lebron’s vs. Detroit Pistons showdown is officially on. 21-13 Detroit.

3:55: Cavs end the first quarter on a 9-2 run to pull within six at 21-15.  To their credit, they looked like they were going to be run off the floor in the first six minutes.   Coincidentally, Cleveland center is the only one other than Lebron to score in the first quarter.

3:56: The Giants play in less than 10 minutes.  My question isn’t when will Barry Bonds hit No. 715 and pass Ruth, but what in the world will Pedro Gomez do when this happens?  He could go one of two ways.  ESPN can either send Gomez to stalk Cardinals slugger Albert Pujos for the next 7-8 years while he goes after the home record.  Or perhaps they can simply freeze him in a cryogenic storage tank for the next 20 years and then thaw him out when someone from the future reaches 650 home runs.

4:03: Damon Jones clanks another three pointer. This guy would make John Starks’ gave seven against Houston look Larry Bird’ish the way he’s shooting this series.  By the way, the Pistons suddenly look very lethargic and before I can finish my sentence Rashad Wallace drains a 17-footer.  27-21 Detroit.

4:11: Lebron is getting very Jordanesque this game.  After taking a pass from Eric Snow and slamming it home the Cavs are tied at 29.  I’m starting to think this Lebron James guy is a pretty decent basketball player.

4:18: Damon Jones has his shot blocked and then on defense gets a jumper drained in his face by Chauncey Billups. Rotten rotten rotten.

4:21: Lebron has 18 points while the rest of his team combined has 13.  He also has five rebounds and is 9-for-13 from the field.  Think he wants to win this game?  The rest of the team is 5-for-24 and the entire backcourt has combined for three points.

4:23: There it is! The first Desperate Housewives season finale promo.  Wow, Longoria is really hot.  What did Parker ever do to deserve that?

4:28: Rasheed Wallace is the ugliest player in the NBA.  No punch line here, just wanted to throw that out.

4:33: The NBA draft lottery is being held on Tuesday.  I don’t know what I’ll do myself when I tune in and realize that Elgin Baylor won’t be sitting in his usual Clippers chair.  Baylor and his presence at the lottery has become as reliable as a Courtney Love drug bust. If you’re reading this Courtney, I think you were the victim of a setup.

There are three things in life I thought were certain; death, taxes and Elgin Baylor representing the Los Angeles Clippers at the NBA draft lottery.

4:38: Lebron drives to the basket and is fouled in the final seconds of the half.  He hits one of two free throws to finish the first half with 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting to go with five rebound and two assists.  For the first time, I’m really seeing the Michael Jordan comparisons though when I look at him I see a Magic Johnson who scores more points than I see Jordan.  Detroit leads at the half, 40-38.  Rip Hamilton leads Detroit with 9 points. It should be noted that the Pistons missed 10 free throws.  That may come back to haunt them. If I’m being honest, I’m a little shocked.  I thought for sure this game would be over by halftime.

4:51: Elliott Yamin being booted from American Idol while Katherine McPhee gets into the final two (with Taylor Hicks) symbolizes exactly what is wrong with America. This kid came from nowhere and was one of the best singers every week.  After seeing his story and return home FINALLY get told, the producers missed an opportunity to have an all-time television moment next week should he have went on to win the whole thing. Instead, the producers (I have never believed the vote process is legit) decide that the silver spoon girl deserves to be in the finale. Her singing talent can’t come close to matching her looks. Let me let you in on secret, Kat.  Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson you are not.

(For those who don’t know, Yamin never performed in his life other than karaoke.  He is a pharmacy clerk who has diabetes and a 90% hearing loss in his right ear. He became known as the emotional “good guy” on the show.)

5:06: Both teams start the third by buildings houses with all the bricks being thrown up.  46-43 Detroit, and I’ll bet you Shaq is watching the game at home with a Cavs jersey on.

5:08: Pressure looks like its starting to get to the Detroit fans.  For now on, we shouldn’t’ refer to a team favored to win and losing as a choke job.  From this point forth, we’ll say they Peyton Manning’d.

5:09: Through four innings, Bonds has a single and a walk.  Pedro’s job is still safe for now.

5:14: Under four minutes left in the third and neither team is at 50 points. Detroit is winning the quarter, 8-7.  I’ve seen more action at an Ashlee Simpson concert.  Detroit looks more committed to doubling James and its working.  Last five Cav possessions have seen missed shots by players other than James.  Flip Murray’s jumper is about as dependable as President Logan on "24"

5:17: Does anyone in NBA history run without the ball more than Rip? I’m not sure Bruce Jenner in his prime had the stamina to keep up with him. 

5:18: Cavs turn the ball over for third time in last four possessions.  This team is BRUTAL when Lebron isn’t taking the shots or setting up the plays (yes, he’s still in the game.)  The combo of Jones, Murray and Larry Hughes are starting to look like the modern version of the Three Stooges. These guys can’t make a jumper to save their life. Combined they’re 3-for-13.

5:23: Pistons starting to open it up.  A Ben Wallace wide-open lay up has Detroit up by nine points, 55-46.  Cavs has hit only 2 of their last 12 shots.

5:26: Ben Wallace tips in a rebound, the Cavs are flustered and Detroit finishes the third quarter up by 10, the largest margin of the game.  Lebron is held to only one point in the quarter and nobody on the Cavs has done anything in the second half. I predicted earlier Detroit would win by at least 15.  At this rate, maybe I was being charitable to Cleveland.

Hubie Brown just threw out a convincing stat.  Lebron is 10-for-18.  The rest of the team is 7-for-34 (21%)

5:32: Hughes hits a wide open three.  In other breaking news, hell has officially frozen over.

(I shouldn’t be hard on Hughes.  I can’t imagine even being able to play if I was Hughes and just lost my brother and best friend.  But this is game seven of a playoff series and if your head isn’t totally into the game, you shouldn’t be out there.)

5:35: Every championship team has that consummate role player who does a little bit of everything better than the role player for the opposition.  Tayshaun Prince is that guy for Detroit.  He tips home his own miss and Detroit is up by a dozen with 8:23 left to play.  To this point, he’s played every minute, leads the Pistons with 18 points and has six rebounds.  I can already see it now; he’s going to give Antoine Walker fits.

5:36: During a Cavs timeout, I realize that James has either run out of gas or he’s FINALLY feeling the pressure of what playoff game seven basketball is all about.  He hasn’t made a field goal this half and has only attempted three shots.  Again, it doesn’t help that not a single teammate has stepped up.  Cleveland has scored 13 points in 16 minutes in the second half, and are 3-for17 from the floor.

5:44: James misses a jumper and is 0-for-6 in the second half. Hamilton hits an open jumper and Detroit is up, 67-52.

5:44: It’s official; Cleveland is just happy to have made it this far.  4-for-21 as a team in the second half is Exhibit A and Damon Jones is still on the floor (Exhibit B)

5:45: I’m really looking forward to the Miami/Detroit series next round.  The Pistons have the better record and will have home court advantage.  They also bounced Miami from the playoffs last year.  But this series has much more intrigue than last year.  Pat Riley is now on the Heat sideline.  Antoine Walker, Gary Payton and Jason Williams will present serious match up problems.  Dwayne Wade has the potential to hurt Detroit as much as James did through six and a half games, and of course there is the Shaq factor.

How much did Cleveland take out of Detroit and to what extent did they expose some Pistons weaknesses?  Without this turning into my official Eastern Finals preview, I think Detroit is in some serious trouble.

5:54: Albert Pujos homers for the third straight game and already has 22 on the season.  Are you listening Pedro Gomez?

5:55: There’s only two more episodes left of the Sopranos this season and I’m sickened at the lack of blood shed.  Nobody of importance has been wacked and I’m growing increasingly impatient. 

I think big Vito is going to get what’s coming to him tonight.  The scene with him thinking out loud about lunch time while trying to do actual work was priceless.  The only question is will he be done in by Tony Soprano’s crew or Phil Leotardo?

How will Paulie Walnuts deal with cancer?  Do you sense a heel turn on Christopher by Tony that would rival when Roddy Piper turned on Jimmy Snuka?  What will happen with Johnny Sack? I have a feeling tonight’s episode will finally be a memorable one.

6:02: I’m shocked.  Nearly three hours and only two ‘Housewives’ promos.

6:03: Lebron comes out with 58 seconds left.  27 points and 8 rebounds.  He has nothing to be ashamed of.  His team let him down.  He lived up the hype in his first year of the playoffs and then some.

6:05: Detroit advances after a 79-61 win.  The 23 points scored by Cleveland in the second half matches the NBA record for futility.  Cavs only get 16 points from starters not named Lebron.  Prince leads Detroit with 20 points while Rip adds 15.  Cleveland had opportunities to win this game. They didn’t know how to take advantage. The stooges combined to go 3-for-15 paced by Jones, who went 0-for-5.

6:06: I’m pretty good.  I picked Detroit to win by 15.  I was off by three (thanks Norcal for pointing this out and making me look less intelligent than I thought).

6:06: I like Miami in six (I just gave a future column away)