Cavs Survive Fourth Quarter Scare, Win 94-82

There was a point in Tuesday night's game where you couldn't imagine the Detroit Pistons even scoring 70 points. The Cavs played nearly perfect basketball throughout the first three quarters on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. They led 77-50 going into the fourth quarter and they held the Pistons to just 36 percent shooting through the first three quarters. 

As Mike Brown decided to rest his starters (except Delonte West) in the fourth quarter, Detroit's bench was able to outplay Cleveland's bench and go on a 17-5 run before Brown was forced to put his starters back in the game with seven minutes left. Detroit cut their deficit to as low as seven points, 84-77, before Cleveland bumped their lead back up to 16 and ran away with a 94-82 victory to secure a 2-0 series lead. 

"Our first three quarters tonight we played some good basketball," said Brown. "I got to give our guys credit because they came out with the right mind frame on both ends of the floor and they were extremely aggressive. In the fourth quarter, offensively their second or third unit, however you want to call it, did a great job. They got up into us, and we didn't respond well with the guys we had on the floor so we had to go back to our starters to close the game, which they did a terrific job of doing."

Cleveland played it's most horrendous fourth quarter in recent memory and their fans became nervous as they watched a 29-point lead turn into just seven . They were outscored 32-17, and they shot just 3-for-10 from the floor, opposed to Detroit's 13-for-28.

They also committed an uncharacteristic six turnovers in the quarter. On the bright side, they were still able to fight off Detroit's comeback and walk away with a 12-point victory.

There is no reason to have any doubts or even second guess this team. They will do nothing but benefit from this game and will consider it as a learning experience. Now they know what happens when you ease up in the fourth quarter of a playoff game regardless of who you are playing or how many points you are winning by.

Over the course of the season, this team has continuously preached that they need to get better with every practice and every game. That motivation will not change in the playoffs.

"We are not going to let tonight's fourth quarter take away from what we've done so far," said LeBron James. "We are going to take the 2-0 lead and learn from what we did in the fourth quarter tonight, but we are not going to let that take away from the fact that we've played some great basketball these first two games."

Detroit switched up their defensive scheme on LeBron this time around by doubling him and they even resorted to playing a zone defense at times. That didn't work as they had planned, as James finished the game with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. 

When James sensed the double team coming, he would just dish it off to one of his shooters around the perimeter and they were able to knock down shots. The starting backcourt of Mo Williams and Delonte West stepped up big and combined for 41 points on 15-for-25 shooting. 

"We've seen teams run and jump LeBron before," Williams said. "I'm itching for them to do that because I'm going to knock down shots. That's how much confidence I have when LeBron kicks it out. Pick your poison." 

In Game One, the Pistons decided to play James straight up and he went off for 38 points. In Game Two, they doubled him and he finished with 29 points. It's obvious they don't have an answer for King James and head coach Michael Curry is running out of options.

The Cavs have won six straight playoff games over the Pistons dating back to the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, and they will try to extend that streak on Friday night in Detroit.