After sweeping their four-game homestand, LeBron James and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Detroit. They will face the Pistons, who are trying to figure out a way to remain a force in the East despite the loss of Brandon Jennings. Will Cleveland crush the Pistons? Or will Detroit stop the Cavs and score a big statement victory?
In another interesting NBA matchup this Tuesday, the Chicago Bulls face the Golden State Warriors. Read a preview of that game here.
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons Betting Preview
The Cavs are on cruise control. With LeBron James leading the way, Cleveland notched its sixth-straight victory, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-98, on Sunday.
[sc:NBA240banner ]James scattered a game-high 34 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and added five assists against the Thunder, bringing his average to 30.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 6.3 APG over the Cavs’ last seven games. James will look to carry his great form against the Pistons, who dealt the Cavaliers a sound 103-80 beating in their last meeting on December 28. James had a horrible shooting night in that game, going 5-for-19 from the field for a measly 17 points.
Kyrie Irving, who didn’t play in that game due to a knee injury, should be able to make a difference this time around. Irving scored 21 points in the OKC game and has averaged 20.9 points per game this season.
The addition of Timofey Mozgov to the roster, meanwhile, should keep the Cavs competitive in the rebounding battle against Detroit. In nine games so far with Cleveland, Mozgov has pulled down 9.0 RPG and scored 9.0 PPG. He only had two points and six rebounds against Oklahoma City, but that was primarily because Tristan Thompson had a great night, scoring 10 points and collaring 16 rebounds. Thompson had a double-double performance of 18 points and 11 rebounds in 37 minutes in the Cavs’ first meeting with Detroit.
The Cavs are 2-0 SU and ATS in their last two games in Detroit.
When the Pistons decisively beat Cleveland, 103-80, back in December they were guided by Brandon Jennings, who scored 25 points. With Jennings gone, though, D.J. Augustin will have to find a way to fill in that big void against Cleveland on Tuesday.
Augustin began doing just that, albeit in a 114-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. The six-year NBA veteran scored a career-high 35 points on 12-for-20 shooting—including five triples—and dished out eight assists as the Pistons suffered their third-straight road loss.
Aside from his playmaking, Augustin’s outside shooting will be a big threat for the Cavs, who were seemingly unable to defend against the three in the two team’s first showdown. In that game, the Pistons went ballistic from beyond the arc, knocking down 17 treys on 31 attempts. Detroit showed that there won’t be a shortage in threes with or without Jennings as the team made 12 triples against Toronto.
Augustin has adjusted averages of 19.9 points and 9.4 assists per 48 minutes.
If the Pistons’ shooting clicks, then big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe will likely be given more space inside to operate. Drummond had a double-double of 16 points and 17 rebounds against Cleveland in December, while Monroe had 10 points and six boards. Against Toronto, the duo combined for 35 points and 24 rebounds.
The Pistons are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Cleveland.
