--F/C Ben Wallace appeared in Game 1 after missing the last two regular-season games with a sprained patella tendon in his left knee. Wallace had one rebound and one assist in 12 minutes against the Pistons.
--In the past, Cavs coach Mike Brown didn't want his players gambling for steals and going after blocked shots. Now, they've played so well on the defensive end -- he wants them all on a string -- he's allowing some "risks." "We're at a point where we can now take a few risks within the concepts of what we do defensively," Brown said. "It seems like we've had more steals and more deflections this year. Guys know where they need to be defensively and are able to cheat a little bit." QUOTE TO NOTE: "You look at Cleveland's model. They have a great, great player. They've surrounded him with 3-point shooting and size. If you over-help against LeBron, they make you pay. That's why Boobie Gibson was so effective in years past -- he could make shots. Now they have Mo Williams, Delonte West, Gibson, (Sasha) Pavlovic, Joe Smith and (Zydrunas) Ilgauskas shooting the ball. It's a bear. They guard you every night and they make shots." -- Nets coach Lawrence Frank, on the Cavs surrounding LeBron James with shooters.
