Unsung hero Smith, defense help LeBron, Cavs earn gritty win

AUBURN HILLS, MI -- Winning in the NBA Playoffs is tougher on the road.

The Cavs knew that coming into Game 3, and it was certainly reinforced on Friday. After two comfortable wins at home, Cleveland struggled to score points at the Palace.

But they won.

Actually, "struggled" is putting it lightly. For a good part of Game 3, the Cavs looked downright awful offensively.

In the first quarter, they turned the ball over seven times (more than they did in all of Game 1) and scored on just two of their first nine possessions. And in the third quarter, they were much worse, scoring just once in their first 13 times with the ball thanks to more turnovers and a 1-for-8 start to the period.

"They got our worst game," Mo Williams admitted afterward, "especially from myself and Delonte [West] shooting the ball."

The Cavs' starting backcourt shot a combined (and an atrocious) 1-for-18 from the field, while turning the ball over eight times between them. Williams may have been the key to Cleveland's improvement this season, but he's still light on Playoff experience. And he never looked comfortable in front of a loud and hostile (but not capacity) crowd.

So without their normal quota of complementary contributions, the Cavs counted on their tried and tested formula for success. When you play great defense and you have LeBron James, you can still win Playoff games.

After the Pistons scored on their first four possessions of the game to run out to an 8-0 lead, the Cavs held them to just 5-for-15 from the field the rest of the period. And James got them off the schneid with a thunderous dunk off a back-door cut. He picked up three more points and four assists as the Cavs came back to tie the game by the end of the period.

The Cavs seemed to take control of the game with a 26-19 second quarter, but when they scored just nine points in the third, the game was tied at 53 going into the fourth.

James was frustrated at that point, believing he wasn't getting enough calls from the officials. This game was clearly more physical than the previous two, and in the first three quarters, the Pistons had done a better job of keeping James out of the paint.

But at that point, he decided that neither the defense nor the officials mattered. He was going to get the rim no matter what.

And that's what he did, scoring 11 of his 25 points and dishing out four assists in the period, leading the Cavs on the 18-2 run that decided the game.

"He decided to say 'Hey, I'm not getting any calls. I'm going to will this team to a win. I'm going to will myself to the rim,'" Cavs coach Mike Brown said afterward. "Once he decided to do that, our whole team changed.

"Watching him flip that switch was very, very exciting for me. It gives me a rush thinking about it."

"He made plays," Pistons coach Michael Curry said simply. "Big time players make plays and that is what he did."

James did have some help. Joe Smith came off the bench to play his best game since rejoining the Cavs. He recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, picking up key offensive boards and hitting big shots in the fourth quarter. Another veteran playing like one.

And of course, when you go on an 18-2 run, you're probably doing something good on the other end of the floor as well. The Cavs clamped down defensively in the fourth, forcing the Pistons into eight straight empty possessions. They crowded the paint, swarmed the ball and contested shots.

That's Cavs basketball. Yes, they've become a pretty efficient offensive team this season. But as has been the case for the last four years, they win with defense more often than not. The offense may have looked sharp in Games 1 and 2, but those games are now long forgotten. Game 3 was more like what we expected from these two rivals.

"That was a Playoff game," Brown said.

Even if it was ugly, it was a win. And with it comes a 3-0 series lead and a chance to complete the sweep on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

"It's satisfying, because we know [the offensive struggles are] not consistent," Williams said. "We know that the next game, we'll be right back on our game, especially shooting the ball."

NBA.com's John Schuhmann will be covering the first round series between the Cavs and Pistons. If you have a question or comment for him, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on twitter.