With the Cavaliers' two wins this weekend - a 79-68 Game 3 win (highlights) on Friday, and then yesterday's rousing 99-78 victory (highlights) in Game 4 - the Pistons were swept under the rug in stunningly easy fashion. In the four game sweep, the Cavs became just the third team in NBA history to win all four games by double figures. And LeBron became just the third player ever to average at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists for a playoff series - the other two to accomplish that feat being Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson. Not bad company to keep.
The King owned the Palace in this Round 1 sweepSo with their quick work in Round 1, the rest vs. rust argument now comes into play. With the Hawks/Heat series going to Game 4 tonight, it could be a while before the Cavs take the floor again. Miami/Atlanta is scheduled to go tonight, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. So if it goes the full seven games, Round 2 would probably begin next Tuesday at the Q. I personally think the Heat will end it in 6 games, which would mean Round 2 would start on Sunday. And that's fine by me. The Cavs (namely Z, Big Ben, and Joe Smith) can use the rest they are now enjoying. And would you want to face a really rested LeBron after what he just accomplished in Round 1? The Cavs will be fine with all this rest, and I think it should help in the long run. It will just be tough as a fan to go without them playing for so long. I guess it's time to sit back and study the rest of the playoff teams while we wait for the Cavs' next victim to emerge.
And I can't go without mentioning how satisfying it was to see the Pistons' season end like this. They had an impressive 6-year run atop the Eastern Conference. But you could see the changing of the guard in the East start three years ago when an overmatched Cavs team took the Pistons to 7 games in LBJ's playoff debut. Beating them in 6 games in the ECF the following year was one of my finest Cleveland sports memories. And this year the final nail in the Pistons coffin was really hammered home when they traded Chauncey at the beginning of the year. They still had some decent talent, and I thought maybe some pride would help them snag one game this series. But the Cavs are on a mission that is just starting and it was great to see them never take their foot off the gas. And the pro-Cavs crowd at the Palace on Sunday was something I can't ever remember seeing in an NBA playoff game. I'm just pissed I wasn't there to see it firsthand, but I won't get into that. Go Cavs. Enjoy the rest.
