2-4 Detroit 90 Cleveland 78

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Detroit 90 Cleveland 78

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LeBron James is trying not to let a toe injury slow him down. He'll have enough trouble against the Detroit Pistons' defense.

With James feeling better, the Cleveland Cavaliers look to end a four-game losing streak to the Pistons in the regular season and avenge one of their worst offensive performances of 2006-07 when the teams meet on Sunday.

James, slowed by a sprained right big toe that might bother him all season, had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers (27-20) in a 101-81 win over Charlotte on Friday night.

NBA

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CLEVELAND, Feb. 4 (AP) -- Rasheed Wallace stepped out of the shower area and reset the track on the portable stereo in Detroit's locker room. Seconds later, he swayed to the booming beat and began to rap.

"Afraid of none of you cowards,'' he shouted, spitting out lyrics along with hip hop star Nas.

Wallace might as well have been singing about the Pistons.

On the road, they fear nothing.

Chauncey Billups scored 18 points, Chris Webber and Wallace had 15 apiece and the Pistons reminded Cleveland who's the boss in the NBA Central with a 90-78 win over the Cavaliers on Sunday.

NBA

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CLEVELAND -- To call it a smack down or a blowout would be inaccurate.

More like a balance-out.

Semantics aside, the Pistons showed they can dominate an opponent in less obvious, more balanced ways with their 90-78 Super Bowl Sunday win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"We got a little bit careless with the ball at times," coach Flip Saunders said, noting his team's 16 turnovers. "But from the beginning it was pretty dominating ... It's very rare that you can control tempo for 48 minutes in a game. We decided how the game was going to be played. And that's how it was played for 48 minutes."

Free Press

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CLEVELAND -- The Pistons might or might not "own" the Cavaliers at this point in the season, but they certainly know how to control them.

For the second time this season, the Pistons stymied their Central Division rivals in their own building, 90-78, Sunday afternoon. The Pistons beat the Cavs, 87-71, back in December.

"We were pretty dominating," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "And when I say dominating, it's very rare when you can control tempo for 48 minutes. We decided how the game was going to be played, and that's how the game was played for 48 minutes.

"To be able to exert your will against a good team on the road, that says something."

Detroit News

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CLEVELAND -- It was late in the game Sunday and the ball went out of bounds under the Pistons' basket.

Cavaliers public address announcer Olivier Sedra yelled, "D-E-E-TROIT TURN-OVER."

Three things were wrong with that. One, it wasn't a turnover. Two, the Cavaliers were trailing by 10 points and were about to be beaten soundly on their home floor. Three, it was a blatant rip-off of Pistons announcer John Mason.

"Man, I told him to get your own material," Chauncey Billups said. "That was terrible."

Detroit News

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There was nothing amazing about the final outcome of the Cavaliers' loss to the Pistons on Sunday - they have lost to Detroit five straight times in regular-season play.

It wasn't just that the Cavs shot only nine free throws, committed 12 turnovers and hit only 23.5 percent from 3-point range.

More importantly, or even bizarre, is the Cavs came out flat in a nationally televised game against the Central Division leaders, and that level of play led to a 90-78 loss at The Q.

Plain Dealer

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CLEVELAND - Super Sunday was nothing more than super-reality-check time for the Cavaliers.

Hoping to build on some recent positive trends and with a chance to move into a tie with the Detroit Pistons for the Central Division lead, the Cavs were cooly smacked back into their place, which continues to be beneath the men from the North.

The Pistons brought the Cavs to their knees without even displaying much emotion on Sunday, outplaying them in every facet of the game in a 90-78 victory.

Akron Beacon-Journal