Pistons Backups Outplay Cavs Reserves, 84-74

Detroit prepares for 76ers, Cleveland readies for Wizards
By Doug Sweeney,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 16, 2008 9:38 PM CDT
Pistons Backups Outplay Cavs Reserves, 84-74
Detroit Pistons' Rodney Stuckey, center, is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers' Joe Smith, left, in the third quarter in an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in Cleveland.   (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

LeBron James rested his back—and sat on his scoring title. Cleveland's All-Star forward spent the final game of the regular season in street clothes Wednesday night, resting up for the NBA playoffs and watching Detroit's reserves outplay Cleveland's bench players as the Pistons beat the Cavaliers 84-74. Rookie Aaron Afflalo scored 15 points and Jason Maxiell had 13.

Wally Szczerbiak, who has struggled to find his shooting touch since coming to Cleveland in a trade, scored 18 points to pace the Cavaliers. Delonte West, another of the newer Cavaliers, added 11 points and Dwyane Jones had 10 rebounds. Not wanting to risk injury to James or center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown didn't activate his two best players. (More basketball stories.)

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