Pistons at Cavaliers, 2.22.09

I’m going to experiment with a new feature to CTBAAF: Game Threads. Before each Piston game, I will post three reasons to expect a Piston victory and three reasons to expect a loss. After each game, I will update the post with notes regarding the outcome. Just like Michael Curry’s rotations, this feature is subject to change often and for no apparent reason. Feedback is encouraged.

Matchup: Detroit Pistons (27-26) at Cleveland Cavaliers (42-11)
Spread: Cavs -10
My Pick: Cavs by 7

Three reasons the Pistons will win:
1. Rasheed. He led the Pistons to a victory over Cleveland earlier this season. He might be able to do it again.
2. RIP. The Cavs have no one to stop him.
3. Expectations. Lately, when I expect a Piston victory, the team has lost. Tonight I’m expecting a loss…

Three reasons the Pistons will lose:
1. LeBron James. King James is freakishly good at playing basketball. His PER is over 32. Not a single Piston is above 16.5. LeBron’s weakness is supposed to be his jump shot. In related news, he made his first eight non-full-court-prayer three point attempts in his last game.
2. The Q. The Cavs are 24-1 at Quicken Loans Arena this season.
3. The Pistons. The Pistons have been losing winnable games lately. Tonight’s assignment is even more daunting.

Update
Final Score: Detroit 78, Cleveland 99
Notes:
-At this point, the Cavaliers are a superior offensive, defensive, and rebounding team to the Pistons. Also, they are better-coached and play harder. Other than that, the teams are pretty evenly-matched.
-Once again, no Amir Johnson (until garbage time). So many Pistons barely look like they are trying out there. Good things happen with Johnson on the court simply because he puts forth more effort than most of his teammates.
-The Pistons offense has been pitiful most of the season. Lately, the defense has followed suit.