Iverson, Pistons stop Cavs eight game winning streak

While the “return on investment” for the Denver Nuggets has been realized quickly as recently acquired  Billups has led the team to a 5-1 record, the other half of the deal—Alan Iverson—has been more of a slow build for the Detroit Pistons.  Their dividends were fully realized on Wednesday night, however, as AI led his team in scoring as Detroit stopped red hot Cleveland by a 96-89 tally.

Cleveland has struggled against Detroit in recent years, losing two straight, four of five and 9 of 11 against the Pistons.  This time promised to be different as the Cavs came to MoTown on an eight game winning streak and LeBron James averaging 30 ppg to lead the league in scoring.  During the first half it looked like the Cavs fortunes against Detroit were going to improve as Cleveland shot out to a 24-16 first quarter lead and took a 49-38 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

Detroit wasn’t having it and in the second half got back in the game via some “old school” Pistons nasty defense holding Cleveland to 19 points in the third quarter.  Iverson, meanwhile, provided the offensive punch en route toa a team high 23 points.  LeBron had an “off night” by his standards, scoring only 25 points.  Rasheed Wallace also contributed 21 for the Pistons and added 15 boards.  For the game, the tenacious Piston defense held Cleveland to 42.5% shooting.

The Pistons lost their first two games after acquiring “The Answer”, but have now won four of five with Iverson in the lineup.  The win also improved their home record to 3-1 on the season and they pulled to within a half game of Cleveland for first place in the NBA’s Central Division.  They face a tough assignment at Boston on Thursday night before returning home to play the bumbling TWolves and the improving New York Knicks.

The Cavs, meanwhile, are off until Saturday night when they’ll host the surprising Atlanta Hawks at the Quicken Loans Arena.  Cleveland then heads to the Big Apple for a game against the Knicks on Tuesday with a quick turnaround to a home game against the team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics, the Oklahoma City Thunder, on Wednesday.