The Cleveland Cavaliers got just the Christmas gift they wanted: another win against the Golden State Warriors. Kyrie Irving delivered that win with another clutch performance as the Cavs edged the Dubs, 109-108. The Cavs are now 5-0 in their last five games, and 10-1 over their last 11.
LeBron James led the way with another stellar line of 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists. After a slow start, Irving finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, and 7 steals. Meanwhile, Kevin Love chipped in with 20 points and 6 rebounds. Love’s shot has been rusty after sitting out a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks with a knee problem, but he’s still been able to contribute 17 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two games since his return.
The Cavs now travel to Detroit to face the Pistons, whom they have dominated in the recent past. They swept their first-round playoff series against them last season, and also won their first meeting this season, 104-81. Irving led the way with 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting with 11 assists in that blowout win.
The Cavs have also gone 7-1 (5-3 ATS) in their last eight visits to the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Detroit Pistons’ losing skid is up to five games after they fell to the Golden State Warriors, 119-113, on Friday. However, there were signs of improvement as they pushed the Warriors hard and just covered as 7-point home underdogs.
Head coach Stan Van Gundy finally decided to shake up his starting lineup by putting Jon Leuer on in place of Tobias Harris. The move worked out well for Harris, who broke out of his month-long slump by going for a team-high 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, with 7 rebounds off the bench.
The Pistons may have had their struggles against the Cavs in recent games, but they have the good fortune of getting the champs in this spot. Cleveland could have a bit of a Christmas hangover, especially after an emotional win over the Warriors. That, coupled with Detroit’s desperation to end its slump, should see the Pistons keep things close.
Writer’s Prediction
The Pistons (+5) push the Cavs all the way and manage to cover at home.
