Cavaliers complete rare sweep of Pistons

Associated Press

Cleveland

The Central Division championship banner was hung in an empty arena Sunday morning with no announcement and no celebration.

Later that night, the Cleveland Cavaliers methodically picked apart the Detroit Pistons 104-79 for their league-best seventh straight win and 13th in their past 14 games.

The NBA’s top team continues to quietly cruise toward the playoffs and could get even more good news with the return of fan favorite Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Today is the first day he is eligible to re-sign with Cleveland.

“He’s a good friend of mine and a great teammate,” LeBron James said. “If that’s the case of him coming back ... I’m excited.”

James had 15 points and seven assists and sat out the fourth quarter. Instead, Cleveland’s role players were plenty powerful to handle the Pistons.

J.J. Hickson and Anthony Parker combined for 20 points in the decisive third quarter, Leon Powe doubled his previous season high with 16 points and the Cavaliers handled the Pistons in the second half. Hickson finished with 13 points and eight rebounds while Parker had 11 points, including nine in the third quarter.

Cleveland swept the season series from Detroit for the first time in 30 years. Counting last season’s first-round sweep in the playoffs, the Cavaliers have won 11 straight in a series Detroit once dominated.

“We turned the corner when we beat them in the Eastern Conference finals [in 2007],” James said. “To sweep any team that used to dominate us in the past is not only a tribute to us getting better, but ownership, front office and the coaching staff all trying to get better.”

Jason Maxiell had 16 points for Detroit and Charlie Villanueva had 11 off the bench, but the Pistons were buried early and couldn’t recover.

Cleveland outrebounded Detroit in the first half 23-11. The Cavaliers had 11 offensive rebounds in the half, equaling Detroit’s total.

“They were the aggressors tonight,” Detroit coach John Kuester said. “The aggressive team is the team that’s going to win basketball games.”

Cleveland held a double-digit lead most of the game, although the Pistons cut it to 55-47 on a basket by Jonas Jerebko with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Hickson and Parker took charge, combining to score 16 of Cleveland’s next 19 points while Detroit went more than five minutes without a field goal.

The Cavaliers, who led by as much as 27, haven’t lost to a team with a losing record since Nov. 18.

“It’s a challenge. Sometimes you don’t want to come in here, you see you’re playing a team lesser than you and you have to pick up your energy,” Powe said. “You have to fight through these games mentally.

“These types of games prepare you later on for the playoffs.”