Cavs-Pistons: Starters, betting info, injuries and TV channel for Thursday

Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

After the All-Star break in which they were wonderful hosts of, the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to begin post-break play on Thursday, with their third meeting with the Detroit Pistons.

The Cavaliers are currently in fourth in the Eastern Conference at 35-23 as we begin the closing stretch of the regular season in what’s sure to be quite the finish to the season in the East, which is so jam-packed.

Cleveland did have somewhat of a hiccup leading into the break, having lost two in a row to the Philadelphia 76ers (sans James Harden) and to the Atlanta Hawks in two games where defensively that had issues throughout (despite what the counting Philadelphia score said). The Cavs also have recently had issues with slow starts to games, even in wins.

Darius Garland missing time because of lower back soreness didn’t help, and Lauri Markkanen has been out for roughly a month due to a high ankle sprain. On the plus side, Garland was a participant in the All-Star Game for Team LeBron, and did seem fine; more rest wouldn’t have hurt, anyhow. But Markkanen has been reportedly ramping up his workouts over the break, and could seemingly be back soon.

So with that, let’s get into the Cavs-Pistons outlook for Thursday night, then.

The Cavs and Pistons are set to play for the third time this season on Thursday. So what do you need to know, and how to bet?

The Cavaliers did have some issues of late leading into the break, and are 4-3 in February; it was apparent that they really needed the break to recharge. I would imagine that will have been the case, to some degree, even with playing host to All-Star Weekend.

From the Pistons’ side of things, Detroit is a club that is amid a full-rebuild, but does have some nice young contributors, and a guy that looks to be a potential superstar in the making (a la Evan Mobley for Cleveland) in Cade Cunningham.

Detroit themselves are 14th in the East, though, and are again in the early stages of a rebuild, something Cavaliers fans can relate to; Detroit is 3-7 is their last 10 contests. Even still, when it comes to the Cavs, it was disappointing to see the Wine and Gold get handled by the Pistons in the fourth quarter in their last meeting in Detroit on Jan. 30, so Cleveland needs to be sharp here.

Cavaliers-Pistons: Betting info

According to our partners at WynnBet, the Cavaliers are significant favorites in this one, by 7.0 points over the Pistons.

In relation to over/under for both teams, that’s currently set for 209.0, with that mark for Cleveland set for 107.5 and that for Detroit set for 101.0

Cavaliers-Pistons: Projected starters and injuries

Pistons starters: Corey Joseph, Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart

Cavs starters: Rajon Rondo/Brandon Goodwin, Isaac Okoro, Lauri Markkanen/Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Pistons injuries: Frank Jackson (probable, back); Isaiah Livers, Luka Garza and Saben Lee (out, On G League assignment); Jamorko Pickett and Chris Smith (out, G-League two-way assignment);

Cavs injuries: Darius Garland (out, back); Caris LeVert (out, foot); Lauri Markkanen (probable, ankle); Dylan Windler (out, On G League assignment); RJ Nembhard Jr. (out, G League two-way assignment); Collin Sexton (likely out for season, knee).

Cavs-Pistons: Prediction

It was tough news on Wednesday that both Garland and Caris LeVert would be out in Cleveland’s first contest after the break, but on the Garland front, perhaps with his participation in the All-Star Game, the team wanted some more rest for him. The injury has been one the team and Garland simply have to deal with, and finding him rest is paramount. And the Cavaliers should be able to get a few Ws upcoming without him, based on what we’ve seen from Rajon Rondo and/or Brandon Goodwin, and the team’s bigs can playmake.

Now, Cleveland being without LeVert hurts, particularly with how he’s often had injury issues throughout his career; his injury for now is not considered to be significant, fortunately, and per a report from Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, LeVert’s status is deemed day-to-day. This is still less than ideal for him being able to establish a rhythm with the Cavs.

Regarding the overall game here, Cade Cunningham again will be a tough matchup, and I’d expect the likes of Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens, for his defensive versatility and strength, to get time on him defensively. Cleveland could at times utilize Evan Mobley out on the perimeter in a 3-2 zone look also, to minimize Cunningham to some degree, where they’ll need to key in on Bey and Frank Jackson, provided he plays when he’s in, as shooters.

Grant will likely get his, however, it’s the well-rounded game of Cunningham that’s the biggest area of concern for the Cavaliers potentially taking an L here.

Then on the offensive end, without two key shot creators in Garland and LeVert, the Cavs will likely look to make things happen with handoffs, and the likes of Evan Mobley and Kevin Love making plays out of the mid-post. Some big-to-big feeds to Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen, assuming he’s back, could help Cleveland here.

The Cavs will need some decent play out of Rondo filling in for Garland, though, and him at least getting some runners to go and outdueling Joseph would make a difference in this one. I’d also look for Rondo and others to get Markkanen going, as the Cavs need his shooting in this closing stretch of the season, and if those looks can go, it’d help open pull-ups and cuts for Markkanen and/or Okoro and others potentially from there.

Lastly, an important aspect of this game for Cleveland is for them to be especially active on the boards, and Allen and company need to do a much better job against Stewart on the defensive glass. He got the better of Allen the last time these teams played, and that can’t happen here if Cleveland is going to start post-All-Star play with a win in the realm of how they’re capable.

For the Cavs here, however, with the lack of Garland, and potentially some rust for both clubs, I’m going with the Wine and Gold winning, but the Pistons covering. And I’m going with the over play here slightly.

Prediction: Cavs 107, Pistons 103

The Bet: Pistons (+4), OVER

Cavaliers-Pistons: How to watch

For those it applies to in-market and with these options, this one can be watched via Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Detroit and Bally Sports Indiana.

And for fans out-of-market and/or without those options, NBA League Pass will get the job done here.

Cavs upcoming schedule:

After this Pistons road contest, the Cavaliers have the first game of a three-game home stand, where they’ll take the Washington Wizards for the fourth and final time this season, attempting to split. Washington is a new-look team after recently trading for Kristaps Porzingis (and a second-round pick) in a deal where they sent out Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans to the Dallas Mavericks. That’s one where the Cavs will look to keep it at a slower pace, I’d think, to help contain Kyle Kuzma, Bradley Beal and company.

Following that last meeting with Washington, Cleveland will host Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. This will be a matchup of two teams that are much-improved this season, as the Cavs hit a bit of road bump before the All-Star break, but are fourth in the East, and Minnesota has won seven of their last 10 games. They’re seventh in the Western Conference, and I’d expect this one to be much, much closer than the first meeting where Cleveland rolled.

From there, the Cavaliers will conclude that three-game home stand with their fourth and last game against the Charlotte Hornets this season. Cleveland is 2-1 against Charlotte thus far this season; the games have all come down to the wire, though. The Cavs prevailed in a wild one on Feb. 4 in Charlotte in the last meeting, and this one should be another tightly-contested game. I would expect this to be another game of runs between LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Charlotte and Garland, Mobley and Cleveland.