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Cavaliers look to repeat history in Game Three

May 27, 2007 - 12:20 PM Detroit at Cleveland 8:30 pm EDT Eastern Conference Finals Pistons lead, 2-0

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- After dropping two close games on the road, the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking forward to enjoying the comforts of home.

The Cavaliers host the Detroit Pistons on Sunday in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals.

After losing Game Two 79-76, Cleveland hopes to repeat the success it enjoyed last season against Detroit in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Down 2-0, the Cavaliers came back home for Game Three and ripped off three straight wins, pushing Detroit to the brink of elimination.

Cleveland is no stranger to success at home, either. They are 4-1 at Quicken Loans Arena so far during the playoffs after a 30-11 record at home during the regular season.

The Cavaliers are hoping the home crowd can give them the bump they need to get over the hump against the Pistons and their defense. Whether they are cutting off driving lanes or forcing tough shots from LeBron James inside the paint, the Pistons have held the Cavaliers to 39 percent shooting from the field overall, including a 7-for-29 mark from the arc.

James, who is averaging 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the playoffs, may need to do a bit more as a result for history to repeat itself. And sooner or later, Cleveland will need him to knock down the big shot late that will quiet his critics.

While the Pistons have to be happy to about holding a two-game-to-none advantage for the third time this postseason, they will likely need more contributions from Tayshaun Prince, who is 1-of-19 from the field. Because his main focus is on the defensive end - guarding James - Detroit would like him to make James work harder on the defensive end.