Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons Odds, Picks & Predictions - Game 2
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 Thursday night. It’s Game 2 of the best-of-seven series and we have you covered with our Cavaliers vs. Pistons prediction. In the opening game of the series Tuesday night, Detroit picked up a 111-101 home victory to draw first blood. The Pistons covered the line as a 3.5-point favorite.
In the all-time playoff meetings between the teams, the Cavaliers own a 15-7 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 Still Winless on the Road in Postseason
Cleveland dropped to 0-4 on the road in the playoffs as they were dumped in the opening game of this series Tuesday night. The Cavaliers now look to square the series and avoid falling into a 2-0 series hole. In Game 1, Cleveland scored the first five points of the game but that was their high water mark in the contest. The Cavaliers gave up 11 of the next 13 points and failed to lead the rest of the way. Cleveland tied the game at 93 with six minutes to go but gave up 12 of the next 16 points. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 23 points in the loss.
The Cavaliers come into this one ranked 5th in postseason scoring offense as they put up an average of 110.5 points per game. Cleveland is 6th in rebounding as they grab 44.3 boards per contest. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers stand 11th in assists by handing out 21.6 dimes a contest this postseason. The Cavaliers are 10th in the league in scoring defense as they allow an average of 110.3 points per game. Donovan Mitchell leads the way in the scoring department for Cleveland as he puts up 23.1 points plus 4.8 rebounds a night on the year. James Harden (20.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists) and Evan Mobley (17.6 points, 8.6 rebounds) are solid secondary options.
Cleveland is tied for 4th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 46.6% from the floor as a team. The Cavaliers are 3rd by knocking down an average of 13.4 three-pointers a night while they are 7th by connecting on 34.4% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Cleveland is below average at the charity stripe as they rank 11th by shooting 74% from the line as a team.
Key Injury Report for Cavaliers:
- Guard Sam Merrill (hamstring) is questionable.
Pistons Shooting to Maintain Momentum
Detroit won their fourth straight playoff game as they took the opening game of this series Tuesday night. The Pistons now shoot for a 2-0 advantage and continue to ride the wave of momentum. In Game 1, Detroit fed off the crowd and the momentum from rallying past Orlando. The Pistons led by as many as 18 in the opening quarter, by 16 after one and by 13 at the half. Detroit saw Cleveland rally to tie the game in the fourth quarter but outscored the Cavaliers 18-8 down the stretch for the win. Cade Cunningham led six players in double figures with 23 points and seven assists in the win.
In the postseason, the Pistons are 10th in the league in scoring offense as they average 103.5 points a game. Detroit is 3rd in rebounding with an average of 46.8 boards per contest. They are 12th in assists by dishing out 21.5 dimes a night. The Pistons are 1st in the league in scoring defense as they give up an average of 98.1 points per contest. Cade Cunningham leads the way offensively for the Pistons with 31.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. Tobias Harris contributes 21.4 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 44% from the floor. The Pistons are 16th in the league in threes per game as they hit 9.8 triples per contest. They are 11th in three-point percentage as they connect on 33.3% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Detroit is below average at the charity stripe, ranking 8th by shooting 75.9% at the line.
Key Injury Report for Pistons:
- Kevin Huerter (adductor) is doubtful.
10 x $100 bet match in FanCash Cavaliers vs. Pistons Prediction
Cleveland has yet to prove that they can win on the road in the postseason. Three losses to Toronto north of the border pushed that series to the limit and they fell in Game 1 here. Sure, they showed grit by rallying from 18 down to tie the game but they didn’t finish. Detroit has gotten back to looking like the team that won 60 games in the regular season. The Pistons won their last four games by seven, 14 (after trailing by 24), 22 and 10 points. Cleveland pushes and battles but their inability to close games on the road haunts them again here. Look for the Pistons to take a 2-0 series advantage as a result.
Our Prediction: Pistons -3.5 (DraftKings, -105)
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