
Injuries have returned to the Cavaliers. Against the Milwaukee Bucks, there was no Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, or James Harden, who is dealing with a finger injury.
Last time out, Cleveland was unable to stop Milwaukee's top five three-point scoring offense or put them at the line enough despite being the worst free throw shooting team in the league.
Jarrett Allen had a chance to send the game to overtime at the buzzer but he was .1 seconds too late and the Cavs lost 118-116.
Tonight, Cleveland takes the trip to Detroit to visit the best team in the NBA. The Cavs will be looking to overcome some major injuries and pick up a big upset win over the Pistons.
Detroit's major success can be attributed to the MVP-caliber season from Cade Cunningham. Despite Cunngingham’s major success this year, in the two games he's played against the Cavs he has not been his best.
He is averaging 20 points and shooting only 27% from the field. His only success has come from the line in these games, last time out he went 11-11 from the line when they beat the Cavs.
One game that coach Atkinson could have studied was the game between the Spurs and Pistons where San Antonio completely shut down everything on offense for the Pistons. They had Cade shooting 5-26 on the day and the team only made seven 3 pointers
ESPN also announced an “All-Access” game between the Cavs and Pistons tonight with unrestricted access into both teams.
Channel: ESPN
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Pistons: Isaiah Stewart (suspension)
Cavs: Max Strus (foot) is out. Donovan Mitchell (groin) is out. Dean Wade (ankle) is questionable. James Harden (thumb) is questionable. Keon Ellis (finger) is questionable. Dennis Schroder (ankle) is questionable.
Odds: Detroit -6.5
O/U: 227.5
Best Bet: James Harden over 30 points for the first time in Cleveland. +400.
Cavaliers 107, Pistons 116: It will be tough for the Cavaliers to come out and win outright, but one thing they can do today is sacrifice some offense for defense. Without Mitchell and potentially Harden you give more time to Craig Porter Jr. and Jaylon Tyson who are decent two way players.
If Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are among the guys playing tonight, they can respond physically to the way Detroit is playing this year. If they get frustrated it becomes easier to attack.
All NBA Odds on FanDuel
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!