Cleveland/Detroit Game 4: Daniel Gibson, Are You Ready?

With the news that LeBron's 'sidekick' (and I use that term extremely generously), Larry Hughes, is very unlikely to play tonight in the pivotal Game 4 against Detroit due to a busted heel, all eyes turn to one man: Daniel Gibson.

For the large segment of the NBA viewing public that pays no attention to college basketball until the premiere players ascend to the League, here's the book on Gibson: school boy hero in Texas, where he averaged 25.5 points and led Jones High School to its first State title in 39 years. Recruited by everybody, but became a Longhorn, where he started from Day 1 and despite spotty shooting, still averaged 13.8 points. 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. As a sophomore, he teamed with LaMarcus Aldridge to guide Texas to the Final 8 before losing to LSU and its twosome of Tyrus Thomas and Glen Davis.

Gibson has begun to flourish against the Pistons, scoring nine points in each of the last two games as his minutes have increased. Tonight, it seems likely he'll get to start against one-time NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups. This game will decide the series, and the Cavs are trotting a rookie out to get stomped by a cagey veteran?

The Pistons are 1.5 point favorites, which, in light of the Hughes injury, makes sense. It certainly thins out the Cleveland bench - you can be sure Mike Brown will not want Damon Jones on the floor in crunch time. Eric Snow is a dinosaur, and rookie Shannon Brown may be a wild card. He's a run-and-jump guy who can get out on the break, throw down a filthy dunk, and excite the crowd. But can he guard anyone?

I'm going out on a short limb and taking the Cavs in another close one, 84-82. Think 30-10-10 again for LeBron. Feel free to make your predictions.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-29-2007 @ 7:01PM

Brett said...

"Think 30-10-10 again for LeBron."

Sorry, i just can't. I think LeBron and Cleveland had their one big game, and much like the Jazz, will have a hard time duplicating the effort in Game 4. Pistons 86, Cavs 80.

5-29-2007 @ 9:19PM

frank said...

Is it me or do everyone see, that C. Billups jack'n the pistons run to a championship off? With all these t.o's, and flip sanders mismanageing the lineups, the pistons will be lucky to beat cleveland!!!

5-29-2007 @ 10:52PM

irwin said...

Time for a new "Playoff Revelations" post?

5-30-2007 @ 6:41AM

sarah said...

do the pistons even care to win? do they respect this team, because it seems like they aren't even trying? against a team that wouldn't get passed the first round in the west. the cavs to me are lebron james and players who don't count.

does people feel like the pistons are half asleep?

5-30-2007 @ 7:00AM

Jklicious99 said...

Like it or not Pistons fans....Lebron James and the rest of the nobodies on the Cavs matchup very well against the Pistons for reasons I haven't the slightest clue why. All the games they play against each other go down to the wire. Lebron got it done tonight again, but he'll need to do the same thing in Detroit(game 5). The rookie Gibson stepped up huge tonight and Cavs fans might be starting to already forget about Larry Hughes. The Pistons respect this team, I have little doubt about that....and I suspect this series will go seven games with Detroit winning it. Their experience and the homecourt advantage will ensure that.

5-30-2007 @ 6:58AM

Abel said...

Wow- somebody finally broke 90 points! Yea, LeBron did bla bla bla but in all likelihood the Pistons will win and finally get us past this sloppy, low scoring series. Then we can watch the Pistons and Spurs see who can get away with the most uncalled flagrants.

5-30-2007 @ 8:13PM

i would love for chris webber, even more Mcdyess to win this year, but it seems like aside from Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun, the back court of Rip and Chauncey don't give a bleep. Chauncy has more turnovers than assists! isn't he in the top five for assists?

why do they do this every year? lose important games to teams that are completely inferior. this might be the year the lose to the cavs if they don't wake up!

5-30-2007 @ 6:43AM

Daniel Gibson said...

I was ready, thank you.

5-30-2007 @ 2:58PM

johnnie said...

The Pistons are a good team, the only problem they have no answer for LeBron James. If we get past Detroit and I think we will, the Cavs can beat San Antonio and/or the Jazz. Lebron James has woke up and he will continue to dominate Detroit.

Kobe Fan said...

LeBron James has elevated his game and has given his team a chance to win the series. If the Cavs win the series it turned when the score was tied 68-68 in the 4th quarter of game 3. Then King James drove the lane and posterized Rasheed Wallace for the "Dunkadelic-Highlight of the Night". The Cavs held off the Pistons and won the game.

5-30-2007 @ 4:26PM

alex said...

People don't understand why Billups is called Mr. Big Shot. He plays only 3 min. a game, the last 3 min. of the 4th Q.He shoots the 3, makes it 40% of the time, Pistons win, hence Mr.Big Shot. The rest of the game, I swear, the Pistons are on wheel chairs, with the exception of Rasheed. Last night in game 4, they brought their wheel chairs with them, and the offense as set by Flip Saunders was: park the chairs beyond the 3 point line and have Chauncy drible 20 seconds then go for the shot in the last 4 sec's. No sweat, no wear, no injuries. The Piston starters can play well into their 40's. But I think they should have gloves written in their contracts, callouses and all. And have all of their names submitted for the US team in the Special Olimpics.
disclosure: Life long Piston fan

5-30-2007 @ 12:31PM

LeBron said...

I came out to play, and my team understands the defensive philosphy we are trying to use against Detroit.

We are coming to play harder tomorrow night be ready for us...See you in the Palace

5-30-2007 @ 2:44PM

alfun1001 said...

this is gonna be a great series, maybe some deja vu in the seventh game when Webber calls another time out they don't have and send the grossly more talented but not smarter team home for the summer

5-30-2007 @ 7:02PM

mikey d said...

Cavs got the upper hand now, If LeBron James stays aggresive, and the cavs push the ball, it doesn't look good for the Pistons. He's finally hit his groove, and even tayshaun prince said after LeBron James dominated him, that there was nothing he could do, when he plays like that h's unstoppable. Cavs got heart as a TEAM, detroits seem to have lost that, only person playin with heart is rasheed wallace, but thats when he gets mad and he gets T's when hes mad. he's got 5 in the playoffs now, 2 more and its an instant suspension, and hes highly capable of 2 t's in the series still. Pls LeBron James has FINALLY taken Daniel Gibson under his wing and its obviously paying off in big ways, so Piston fans beware, ur teams not undisputed.