Game Preview: Detroit at Cleveland
By Dan Feldman
When
Date: March 31, 2009
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Records
Detroit: 36-37
Cleveland: 60-13
Probable starters
Detroit:
Rodney
StuckeyRichard
HamiltonTayshaun
PrinceAntonio
McDyessKwame
Brown
Cleveland:
Mo
WilliamsDelonte
WestLeBron
JamesAnderson
VarejaoZydrunas
Ilgauskas
Las Vegas projection
Spread: Detroit +9.5
Over/under: 180
Score: Cleveland wins 95-85
Statistical projection
Detroit offensive rating: 107.1 (20th)
Detroit defensive rating: 107.8 (14th)
Detroit pace: 86.8 (29th)
Cleveland offensive rating: 112.4 (4th)
Cleveland defensive rating: 101.9 (2nd)
Cleveland pace: 88.8 (25th)
Score: Cleveland wins 97-92
Outlook
Everyone expects Rasheed Wallace to be back tonight, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Except, maybe, Wallace.
"“It’s a torn muscle,” he said. “Let me to tear your muscle and see how you feel. I will be out there when I can run and move without it hurting.”"
The Allen Iverson bench experiment becomes official tonight, too. He has come off the bench seven times in his career, but never in consecutive games. Will he respond as well as he did Sunday once that reality sets in?