Not many, if anyone at all, expected the Pistons to beat the Cavs. Getting swept though, is another thing.
After playing the Cleveland Cavaliers close for most of the series, the Detroit Pistons must win Game 4 at home to extend the series and avoid a sweep and quick first-round exit.
The Pistons have played well in the first half of these games, but the second half has been a much different story.
In game one, Detroit was outscored by 10 points in the second half. In game two, that differential was 15 points. The Cavs also outscored Detroit in game three by nine. The Cavaliers have consistently made the correct adjustments in the second half, and have taken Detroit out of games in clutch time.
One of those adjustments has been moving Kevin Love to center in certain situations. Love’s ability to stretch the floor forces Andre Drummond to play further away from the basket, thus hurting his ability to protect the rim and rebound. The Cavs has also played with no true big men on the floor, forcing the Pistons to sit Drummond and play guys like Tobias Harris at center. This has caused the same problem for Detroit, and the same results.
Love, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James have played extremely well in this series. All three players are averaging over 20 points per game, with Irving leading the way at 26.3 points per game. The three have also combined for at least 65 points in each game, including an 81-point outburst in game one.
Biggest Matchup – Kyrie Irving vs. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Caldwell-Pope has drawn Irving for most of the series, and despite his defensive talent, Irving has scored at a high level. Irving is shooting 46 percent from the field and is 12-23 from behind the arc. His ability to score has lifted this Cavs offense to another level.
Caldwell-Pope is a solid perimeter defender, and the Pistons will need him to show that on Sunday.
X-Factor – Tobias Harris
Until the second half in game three, Harris was almost nonexistent. He got it rolling a little bit, but still on scored 13 points.
Harris is shooting just 41 percent from the field, is 1-5 on three point attempts and is scoring 11.6 points per game. That’s not going to cut it against the Eastern Conference’s best team. Harris has the ability to shoot from the outside, put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim, but we haven’t seen much of that in this series. When Harris finds his rhythm, the Pistons’ offense operates much more efficiently.