TJ_4_CV31
Towel Waver
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2005
- Messages
- 1,862
- Reaction score
- 124
- Points
- 63
Really, the score wasn't as close as the final score indicates. Garbage time closed a 20pt lead. The Bucks starters (with Redd and Ford this go round but absent Joe Smith) smashed the Pistons starters in both halves of basketball.
One of the things that I try to do when I'm on the Cavalier forum is to give you guys some objective information on how your competition is doing. In this game you had the Bucks and the Pistons. Here's how they fared:
TJ Ford versus Chauncey Billups....The matchup that I most aniticipated. Chauncey Billups, with his size, power, and overall brilliance is probably TJ's toughest divisional matchup and one of the most difficult leaguewide. Ford effectively harrassed Billups on defense not allowing him to get open looks at his three point shot or free drives into the painted area. On offense, Ford continues to be the fastest man in the county and set a tempo that the Pistons' defenders could not match. Ford's offseason work, particularly on his perimeter game, is apparent. His defense, sorely missed by his bigs, is a boon to the Bucks overall team defense.
Final lines:
Ford.............19pts (8-12), 9asst, 3rebs, 2steals, 2to, 26minutes
Billups.......... 9pts (3-12), 3asst, 0rebs, 0steals, 3to, 26minutes
Andrew Bogut versus Ben Wallace.....Ben Wallace destroyed Andrew Bogut last week and I was surprised to see him matched against Ben again instead of Rasheed Wallace. While Ben is still Ben and will be Ben, Bogut did rebound nicely from the schooling that Wallace gave him last week.
Final lines:
Bogut..................9pts (4-7), 6rebs, 2asst, 1steals, 0blks, 28minutes
BWallace..............5pts (2-3), 6rebs, 0asst, 0steals, 1blk, 19minutes
Toni Kukoc versus Rasheed Wallace.....Toni started in the absence of Joe Smith. Toni Kukoc still has 4-5 minute stretches where he's the best player on the floor. Rasheed is trouble on offense and defense in the paint.
Final lines:
Kukoc...........5pts (2-6), 4rebs, 2assts, 1steal, 1block, 16minutes
RWallace.......7pts (2-7), 8rebs, 0assts, 1steal, 1block, 22minutes
Desmond Mason versus Tayshaun Prince.....This is a matchup that has traditionally been dominated by Prince. This fact is one of the reasons why I believe that Bobby Simmons was brought to Milwaukee. Mason started at small forward as usual in this matchup.
Final lines:
Mason.......10pts (5-9), 3rebs, 0asst, 0steals, 0blocks, 20minutes
Prince........9pts (3-7), 3rebs, 0asst, 0steals, 0blocks, 23minutes
Michael Redd versus Rip Hamilton......Traditionally a very balanced rivalry. Both players were off of their games. Redd couldn't make an open jumper and Rip couldn't find any offense and uncharacteristically missed free throws. They basically neutralized each other.
Final lines:
Redd..........9pts (4-16), 3rebs, 2asst, 0steals, 0blocks, 24minutes
Hamilton.....9pts (3-8), 5rebs, 3asst, 1steal, 0blocks, 23minutes
Top Pistons reserves
Maurice Evans......20pts (6-7), 4rebs, 1steal, 1block, 25minutes
Alex Acker...........13pts (4-6), 9assts, 5rebs, 3steals, 22minutes
Jason Maxiel........10pts (4-7), 9rebs, 1block, 26minutes
Darko Milicic..........6pts (2-6), 3rebs, 1steal, 1block, 27minutes
Top Bucks reserves
Mo Williams.........16pts (7-12), 5assts, 2rebs, 1steal, 22minutes
Bobby Simmons....11pts (5-10), 2rebs, 2steals, 18minutes
Dan Gadzuric........7pts (3-6), 5rebs, 3steals, 1block, 14minutes
Andre Barrett........8pts (3-4), 2rebs, 2assts, 1steal, 8minutes
Team Stats
Detroit...............44.4%fg, 53.9%3p, 70%ft, 21turnovers
Milwaukee..........44.6%fg, 37.5%3p, 47%ft, 9turnovers
Bucks scouting report:
Against Milwaukee, the Cavaliers will have to slow down TJ Ford on defense. He's clearly the one player that makes the Bucks go. There is a palatible step down in efficiency once Ford leaves the court. Desmond Mason is neutralized if he's kept out of the paint. He has no jumper to speak of since he's added 15lbs of muscle to compete with Bobby Simmons. Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas will have to put pressure on the Bucks' frontcourt, the weakest area on the team, particularly at power forward. Every Cavalier defender will have to be disciplined as Milwaukee will be one of the league's better passing offenses. They will have no problem sharing the wealth so outside of TJ Ford, there is no other single player to neutralize.
Pistons scouting report:
Against Detroit, Chauncey Billups has to be contained and not given open three point looks. This team will struggle to score if Billups isn't a part of the offense. A tenacious man to man defender like Mike Wilks may be the order of the day here. I like Snow (disciplined) on Billups more than Jones (undiciplined). Make Ben Wallace an offensive player. If Ben starts feeling it on offense, he devotes less time to his stellar defense. Give him open looks from outside. Hughes will be the x-factor. If Hughes can make Hamilton chase on defense and then harrass him on offense (ball denial and shot contesting) the Cavs will have a significant advantage. Bottom line....either Billups or Hamilton (main scoring options) have to be neutralized. If one of these two players is taken out of the game, the Pistons will have trouble keeping up on the scoreboard.
One of the things that I try to do when I'm on the Cavalier forum is to give you guys some objective information on how your competition is doing. In this game you had the Bucks and the Pistons. Here's how they fared:
TJ Ford versus Chauncey Billups....The matchup that I most aniticipated. Chauncey Billups, with his size, power, and overall brilliance is probably TJ's toughest divisional matchup and one of the most difficult leaguewide. Ford effectively harrassed Billups on defense not allowing him to get open looks at his three point shot or free drives into the painted area. On offense, Ford continues to be the fastest man in the county and set a tempo that the Pistons' defenders could not match. Ford's offseason work, particularly on his perimeter game, is apparent. His defense, sorely missed by his bigs, is a boon to the Bucks overall team defense.
Final lines:
Ford.............19pts (8-12), 9asst, 3rebs, 2steals, 2to, 26minutes
Billups.......... 9pts (3-12), 3asst, 0rebs, 0steals, 3to, 26minutes
Andrew Bogut versus Ben Wallace.....Ben Wallace destroyed Andrew Bogut last week and I was surprised to see him matched against Ben again instead of Rasheed Wallace. While Ben is still Ben and will be Ben, Bogut did rebound nicely from the schooling that Wallace gave him last week.
Final lines:
Bogut..................9pts (4-7), 6rebs, 2asst, 1steals, 0blks, 28minutes
BWallace..............5pts (2-3), 6rebs, 0asst, 0steals, 1blk, 19minutes
Toni Kukoc versus Rasheed Wallace.....Toni started in the absence of Joe Smith. Toni Kukoc still has 4-5 minute stretches where he's the best player on the floor. Rasheed is trouble on offense and defense in the paint.
Final lines:
Kukoc...........5pts (2-6), 4rebs, 2assts, 1steal, 1block, 16minutes
RWallace.......7pts (2-7), 8rebs, 0assts, 1steal, 1block, 22minutes
Desmond Mason versus Tayshaun Prince.....This is a matchup that has traditionally been dominated by Prince. This fact is one of the reasons why I believe that Bobby Simmons was brought to Milwaukee. Mason started at small forward as usual in this matchup.
Final lines:
Mason.......10pts (5-9), 3rebs, 0asst, 0steals, 0blocks, 20minutes
Prince........9pts (3-7), 3rebs, 0asst, 0steals, 0blocks, 23minutes
Michael Redd versus Rip Hamilton......Traditionally a very balanced rivalry. Both players were off of their games. Redd couldn't make an open jumper and Rip couldn't find any offense and uncharacteristically missed free throws. They basically neutralized each other.
Final lines:
Redd..........9pts (4-16), 3rebs, 2asst, 0steals, 0blocks, 24minutes
Hamilton.....9pts (3-8), 5rebs, 3asst, 1steal, 0blocks, 23minutes
Top Pistons reserves
Maurice Evans......20pts (6-7), 4rebs, 1steal, 1block, 25minutes
Alex Acker...........13pts (4-6), 9assts, 5rebs, 3steals, 22minutes
Jason Maxiel........10pts (4-7), 9rebs, 1block, 26minutes
Darko Milicic..........6pts (2-6), 3rebs, 1steal, 1block, 27minutes
Top Bucks reserves
Mo Williams.........16pts (7-12), 5assts, 2rebs, 1steal, 22minutes
Bobby Simmons....11pts (5-10), 2rebs, 2steals, 18minutes
Dan Gadzuric........7pts (3-6), 5rebs, 3steals, 1block, 14minutes
Andre Barrett........8pts (3-4), 2rebs, 2assts, 1steal, 8minutes
Team Stats
Detroit...............44.4%fg, 53.9%3p, 70%ft, 21turnovers
Milwaukee..........44.6%fg, 37.5%3p, 47%ft, 9turnovers
Bucks scouting report:
Against Milwaukee, the Cavaliers will have to slow down TJ Ford on defense. He's clearly the one player that makes the Bucks go. There is a palatible step down in efficiency once Ford leaves the court. Desmond Mason is neutralized if he's kept out of the paint. He has no jumper to speak of since he's added 15lbs of muscle to compete with Bobby Simmons. Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas will have to put pressure on the Bucks' frontcourt, the weakest area on the team, particularly at power forward. Every Cavalier defender will have to be disciplined as Milwaukee will be one of the league's better passing offenses. They will have no problem sharing the wealth so outside of TJ Ford, there is no other single player to neutralize.
Pistons scouting report:
Against Detroit, Chauncey Billups has to be contained and not given open three point looks. This team will struggle to score if Billups isn't a part of the offense. A tenacious man to man defender like Mike Wilks may be the order of the day here. I like Snow (disciplined) on Billups more than Jones (undiciplined). Make Ben Wallace an offensive player. If Ben starts feeling it on offense, he devotes less time to his stellar defense. Give him open looks from outside. Hughes will be the x-factor. If Hughes can make Hamilton chase on defense and then harrass him on offense (ball denial and shot contesting) the Cavs will have a significant advantage. Bottom line....either Billups or Hamilton (main scoring options) have to be neutralized. If one of these two players is taken out of the game, the Pistons will have trouble keeping up on the scoreboard.
