Cavs avoid choke job, but can't avoid Detroit

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Greg Norman, Bill Buckner and the Buffalo Bills were all preparing a spot at the table for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The napkins were set, the silverware in place, the choke material neatly placed on the dinner plate.

LeBron's Cavs may want to hide next round vs. the Pistons. (Getty Images)

As close as LeBron James came to becoming LeBron Norwood, the Cavaliers showed resiliency and courage after blowing a double-digit lead and being forced to hold off a brutal Nets charge -– which if successful could have led to this series being turned totally upside down -- before winning 88-72 at Continental Airlines Arena.

Cleveland won and will play Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals. Beating New Jersey is the bottom line for the Cavaliers, and Cleveland getting this far in the postseason for the first time in over a decade is great news for a top-notch sports town.

But this Cavaliers team will get their doors blown off if they play as sloppily against the alchemists and surgeons from the veteran Pistons as they did against New Jersey. This game, and series, was far closer than some want to believe.

If Cleveland had lost Game 6, I believe they would have lost the deciding seventh game, resulting in a supreme gag job.

In the next round Cleveland will have much to prove in demonstrating that they are nothing more than a mediocre club taking advantage of the weakest East we have seen in many years.

Cleveland has beaten Washington and New Jersey in the playoffs, an accomplishment that is the NBA equivalent of the United States whipping Grenada.

The Cavaliers barely held off a horrible Nets franchise that can't shoot, can't hit free throws and has the offensive grace of a three-legged elephant walking on stilts.

Indeed there is likely no way Cleveland beats Detroit. Nope. Not going to happen. They just aren't good enough. Which means it will be the Pistons losing to the West in the NBA Finals.

Go ahead and complain and write your nasty e-mails while wearing your Cleveland Browns pajamas, Cavaliers fans.

But deep down in your soul, you know I'm right.

This game started impressively for the Cavaliers. It looked like such an easy victory for Cleveland –- the Cavaliers led 32-15 after one quarter and 53-38 at the half -- and some members of the homer Cavaliers radio broadcast team spent chunks of the first half on press row pumping their fists and cheering more than the Cleveland players.