Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons Odds, Picks & Predictions - Game 1

The second round of the NBA playoffs continue with an Eastern Conference battle as the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers take on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons Tuesday night. It’s Game 1 of the best-of-seven series and we have you covered with our Cavaliers vs. Pistons prediction. Cleveland advanced out of the opening round as they downed Toronto 114-102 at home in Game Sunday night. The Cavaliers covered the line as an 8.5-point favorite. Detroit rolled to a 116-94 home win over Orlando in Game 7 Sunday afternoon. The Pistons covered the line as an 8.5-point favorite.

In the all-time playoff meetings between the teams, the Cavaliers own a 15-6 edge in head-to-head victories. Cleveland has won three of the four previous postseason series between the teams. Let’s break down this Cavaliers vs. Pistons matchup.

Cavaliers Seeking First Road Win of Postseason

Cleveland went the distance in the opening round and advanced as home court advantage proved the difference. The home team won all seven games in the series with the Raptors to advance to the conference semifinals. In Game 7 against Toronto, Cleveland was even at the half but took control of the game in the third quarter. The Cavaliers outscored the Raptors 38-19 in the third quarter and didn’t let Toronto closer than 11 the rest of the way. Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen (19 rebounds) each had 22 points to lead the Cavaliers in the win.

The Cavaliers come into this one ranked 5th in the league in scoring offense as they put up an average of 111.9 points per game this postseason. Cleveland is 5th in rebounding as they grab 44.7 boards per contest and stand tied for 12th in assists by handing out 21.4 dimes a contest this postseason. The Cavaliers are 11th in the league in scoring defense as they allow an average of 110.1 points per game this season. Donovan Mitchell leads the way in the scoring department for Cleveland as he puts up 23.1 points plus 4.9 rebounds a night on the year. James Harden (20.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists) and Evan Mobley (18.1 points, 8.6 rebounds) are solid secondary options.

Cleveland is 5th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 46.9% from the floor as a team in the playoffs. The Cavaliers are 3rd by knocking down an average of 13.3 three-pointers a night while they are 7th by connecting on 34.1% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Cleveland is below average at the charity stripe as they rank 14th by shooting 72.3% from the line as a team.

Key Injury Report for Cavaliers:

• No Key Injuries

Pistons Try to Seize Series Lead

Detroit trailed 3-1 against Orlando before rallying to take the final three games to win the series. The Pistons look to carry that momentum into this series and take a 1-0 advantage. Against Orlando in Game 7 Sunday, Detroit trailed by two after the opening quarter before outscoring Orlando 40-27 in the second stanza. The Pistons never let the Magic in the game the rest of the way, leading by as many as 25, en route to the win. Cade Cunningham paced the Pistons with 32 points and 12 assists in the win.

In the postseason, the Pistons are 11th in the league in scoring offense as they average 102.4 points a game. Detroit is 2nd in rebounding with an average of 47 boards per contest. They are 14th in assists by dishing out 21.3 dimes a night. The Pistons are 1st in the league in scoring defense as they give up an average of 97.7 points per contest. Cade Cunningham leads the way offensively for the Pistons with 32.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. Tobias Harris contributes 21.6 points plus 8.1 rebounds a night as a secondary scoring option.

Detroit is 10th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 43.9% from the floor. The Pistons are 16th in the league in threes per game as they hit 9.7 triples per contest. They are 12th in three-point percentage as they connect on 32.7% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Detroit is below average at the charity stripe, ranking 9th by shooting 75.6% at the line.

Key Injury Report for Pistons:

• Kevin Huerter (adductor) is questionable.

10 x $100 bet match

Bet Now Fanatics Promo

Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER OR CALL 1-800-MY-RESET, www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), (800)-327-5050 or gamblinghelplinema.org (MA), Call (877)8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT), morethanagame.nc.gov (NC), 1800gambler.net (WV)

Cavaliers vs. Pistons Prediction

Neither side has a rest advantage as both teams went the distance in the opening round. Cleveland advanced on the strength of home court advantage in the opening round. The Cavaliers were 0-3 on the road against Toronto, losing by 22, four and two points. In the regular season, the teams split four meetings, each winning once at home and on the road. Detroit won three straight with their backs to the wall to beat Orlando. The Pistons have that momentum on their side. Cleveland has the experience factor but the Pistons are at home. As a result, look for Detroit to defend their home floor with a win here.

Our Prediction: Pistons -2.5 (BetMGM, -115)

Deposit first $5+ cash bet, get $150 in Bonus Bets

Bet Now Hard Rock Bet Promo

To be eligible, the Player must be at least 21 years old, physically located in a Eligible Jurisdiction: AZ, CO, IL, IN, MI, NJ, OH, TN, or VA, and not on any exclusionary lists in any Eligible Jurisdiction. Excluded patrons are prohibited from participating in Promotions. To be eligible all personal and contact data associated to your account must be verifiable. Arizona Customers: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or Text NEXTSTEP to 53342. Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, and Virginia Customers: Call 1-800-GAMBLER  Indiana Customers: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT  Ohio Customers: Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-MY-RESET.  Tennessee Customers: Call or text the Tennessee REDLINE: 1-800-889-9789