SCOREBOARD
Monday, May 21
Cleveland at Detroit (8 EDT). Re-match of last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals, the Pistons edged the Cavaliers 4-3 in the series.
ONE YEAR LATER
-The Pistons-Cavaliers series opener will come exactly one year since Cleveland’s 2006 season ended with a Game 7 loss in the conference semis to the Pistons, 79-61.
BRING HIM BACK
-Billy Hunter, NBA union chief, said that the players would support the reinstatement of referee Joey Crawford, who was suspended after he was accused of trying to pick a fight with Tim Duncan during a game.
TALE OF TWO CITIES
-The Detroit Pistons are looking to make a fifth straight trip to the conference finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers, formed as an expansion team in 1970, have never played for the title.
HOME SWEET HOME
-The San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz split the regular season series 2-2, with each team winning its two home games. The Jazz have lost their last 16 games in San Antonio, dating to 1999.
SPEAKING
“We just want to make him work extremely hard and give him a lot of different looks to not let him get comfortable and settled in on how we’re going to guard him. We want him to think and to tire him out.” said Lindsey Hunter on how the Pistons will Cavalier’s guard LeBron James.