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Cavs can’t bank on home strength in Pistons series

Numbers on the Board dissect how the Cavaliers’ backcourt has fallen short in the first pair of games against the Pistons and explain why Cleveland can’t just rely on strong play at home if they want to take this series.

Who will be the ‘desperation team’ this offseason?

Barkley: Brunson made the Knicks relevant

Should desperate Cavs be favored vs. Pistons?

Cleveland Cavaliers v Detroit Pistons - Game Two

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 3 Round 2 NBA Playoffs predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, best bets for May 9

Vaughn Dalzell,

Vaughn Dalzell,

NBA: Playoffs-Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham takes over with 12 in fourth quarter, lifts Detroit to 2-0 series lead

Kurt Helin,

Kurt Helin,

Will Harden ramp up his assets in Detroit?

Rotoworld Player News

Sam Merrill

CLE Guard #5

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Sam Merrill (hamstring) is questionable for Saturday’s Game 3 against the Pistons.

Merrill did not play in Thursday’s Game 2 defeat after logging seven minutes in the series opener. As a result, the Cavaliers essentially went with an eight-man rotation, with Keon Ellis logging six minutes as the ninth man. Regardless of Merrill’s status, Max Strus should log the majority of the bench minutes on the wing.
Jarrett Allen

CLE Center #31

Jarrett Allen added 22 points (7-of-9 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs), seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in Thursday’s loss to the Pistons.

Allen bounced back from an underwhelming two-point performance in Game 1 to tie his high for points in a game this postseason. Per usual, the veteran center did all of his work inside the arc, but also utilized the charity stripe to tally his points. He finished as Cleveland’s second leading scorer on the evening while finishing as the team’s best rebounder in his 31 minutes. The Cavaliers will hope Allen can provide similar individual production in Game 3.
Donovan Mitchell

CLE Guard #45

Donovan Mitchell amassed 31 points (11-of-24 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs), six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two three-pointers in the loss to the Pistons on Thursday.

Mitchell was one of the very few Cavaliers to have success on the offensive end in Game 2. He accounted for nearly one-third of the team’s made field goals and, even with inefficient three-point shooting, found other ways to somewhat efficiently hit the 30-point mark. A repeat performance from Mitchell in Game would be great for Cleveland — they’ll just need multiple others to find their way offensively. He’s scored at least 20 points in each of the last four games.
James Harden

CLE Guard #1

James Harden totaled 10 points (3-of-13 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, three assists and one steal in the loss to the Pistons on Thursday.

Harden struggled to find his flow on offense in Game 2. For the second time this postseason, he was held to only three made field goals, but failed to make a three-pointer for the first time. As he narrowly snuck into double figures as a scorer, the former league MVP also didn’t make much of an impact as a passer; his three assists tied his low for this postseason. He will almost certainly need to bounce back with a much greater performance in Game 3 for the Cavs to avoid falling behind by three games.
Sam Merrill

CLE Guard #5

Sam Merrill (hamstring) will not play in Thursday’s game against the Pistons.

Merrill logged just seven minutes in the Game 1 loss and didn’t register a single point. Still, the Cavaliers’ depth takes a bit of a hit in regard to three-point shooting and overall scoring. In his absence, Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, and Jaylon Tyson should see more minutes.
Sam Merrill

CLE Guard #5

Sam Merrill (hamstring) is questionable for Thursday’s Game 2 against the Pistons.

Merrill is dealing with a left hamstring strain while the rest of the Cavaliers’ roster is completely healthy. The 29-year-old shooting guard had no points in seven minutes in Tuesday’s Game 1 loss to the Pistons. His absence wouldn’t be considered a major loss for the Cavaliers if he’s ultimately ruled out.
Jarrett Allen

CLE Center #31

Jarrett Allen finished Tuesday’s loss tot he Pistons with two points (1-of-4 FGs), three rebounds, one assist and one block.

Allen played just 18 minutes in Tuesday’s loss, failing to reach double figures in points or rebounds during his time on the floor. The lack of production was surprising, given his success just two days earlier in Game 7 of the first-round win over the Magic. He finished as the only starter with a positive plus-minus. Still, the Cavaliers will likely need the veteran center to perform at a higher level in Game 2 if they hope to avoid falling behind two games to none.
James Harden

CLE Guard #1

James Harden logged 22 points (6-of-15 FGs, 9-of-9 FTs), eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer.

It took a while for Harden to get going on Tuesday. He entered the fourth quarter with nine points and five turnovers on 2-of-8 shooting, before finally coming alive with a 13-point final frame. He ultimately finished with a decent line in terms of counting stats. However, the former MVP struggled most of the way throughout Tuesday’s loss and will likely need to be better in Game 2 for Cleveland to earn a win.
Donovan Mitchell

CLE Guard #45

Donovan Mitchell tallied 23 points (9-of-19 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and four three-pointers in Tuesday’s loss to the Pistons.

Mitchell got off to a quick start and scored 14 points over the first two quarters, but cooled off after halftime in Tuesday’s loss. He managed only nine second-half points but still finished as the team’s scoring leader on the evening. Mitchell didn’t have a great impact as either a rebounder or a passer. Yet, his four three-pointers are something that he hopes can translate to Game 2, while upping his production elsewhere.
James Harden

CLE Guard #1

James Harden totaled 18 points (3-of-9 FGs, 11-of-13 FTs), six rebounds, three assists, three steals and one three-pointer in the win over the Raptors on Sunday.

Harden did the bulk of his scoring at the charity stripe in Game 7, which helped offset some inefficient shooting during his 37 minutes. And with the shooting struggles also came a lack of playmaking — he finished with his lowest assist total of the series. Yet, there were positives. The former league MVP recorded fewer than four turnovers for the first time in the series and remained active with his hands on defense. Still, he’ll likely need to perform better in the Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the top-seeded Pistons for the Cavaliers to advance.