The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to host the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, aiming to snap their season-high three-game losing streak. The Cavaliers, currently leading the Eastern Conference with a 36-9 record, have struggled defensively in recent games, allowing 114 or more points in eight of their last 12 games.
In their last game, the Cavaliers fell to the Houston Rockets 135-131, despite impressive performances from Darius Garland (39 points) and Donovan Mitchell (33 points). Cleveland shot 51.6 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from beyond the arc but couldn’t contain the Rockets’ offense, which saw four starters reach 20 points.
Defensively, the Cavaliers have had issues containing opposing big men, as evidenced by Houston’s Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams combining for 40 points and 12 rebounds. Evan Mobley returned from a calf strain and played 29 minutes, contributing seven points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.
On the other hand, the Detroit Pistons are coming off a 121-113 loss to the Orlando Magic, ending their four-game road winning streak. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 35 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds, while Ausar Thompson had a season-high 16 points, five rebounds, four steals, and a block in 29 minutes.
The Pistons have been competitive on the road, winning four of their last seven games, but will face a tough challenge against the Cavaliers, who have won 10 straight games against Detroit, including a 113-101 victory on October 25.
Cleveland will look to tighten up their defense and get back to their winning ways, while the Pistons will aim to bounce back from their recent loss and continue their solid play on the road.
