The Cavaliers were in trouble on Sunday. The 8-seed Pistons were shooting above 50% overall and from three. Detroit was up 7 with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter before the Cavs turned it around.
Kevin Love made big shots and grabbed rebounds, Kyrie Irving drived passed the Piston's defense, and LeBron James was clutch in the closing minutes.
The Cavaliers took the lead from the less experienced Piston's and never looked back, winning 106-101.
Maybe the best news for Cleveland, though, was how well the Cavaliers shared the load between their big three. With Love, Irving, and James each getting 20+ points each for the first time since Jan. 14, Cleveland showed a big improvement in knowing their roles than last year and even much of this year. Together they scored 81 points. "I was just getting to my spots," Kevin Love, who missed most of the playoffs last year, said to Lisa Salters. "I think the last three or four weeks of the season (I've been) doing that, shooting the shots that were there for me, being aggressive, that was huge for me."
The three stars working together was a good sign for a team who is trying to avenge their loss in the finals last year. If they continue to play like this, the Cavs should be back to the finals for the second straight year.
The toughest team in Cleveland's road to the title would be, of course, the Warriors. The Warriors beat the Cavaliers both times they played in the regular season, holding Love, Irving, and James to 75 points in their two games combined. So despite the performance on Sunday, it will be a whole different challenge for the Cavaliers if they play the Warriors in the finals.
The Cavaliers play at home against the Pistons again on Wednesday.
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