Coty M. Davis, John Niyo and Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News predict the outcome of the Detroit Pistons’ second-round NBA playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Coty M. Davis: The second-round series between the Pistons and the Cavaliers will be less physical than against the Magic, but it will be just as daunting. Talent-wise, the Cavaliers have one of the best starting five units in the league. The versatile frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley will create a tough match for the Pistons on a nightly basis. And with the backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, the Pistons will have to make sure their defense stays up to par, given the 30-to-40-point performances each guard can put up in each game.
The Cavaliers are also entering the series with the most postseason experience. Given the number of close games expected, Cleveland might have the opportunity to secure wins in a couple of tight matchups. However, the Pistons have demonstrated that no team can defeat them — whether in the regular season or in games against the Magic — as long as they uphold their defensive identity. As they head into the second round, they boast the league’s top-rated defense, with a net rating of 101.9.
If the Pistons can maintain their strong defensive performance while also excelling offensively, they might have an opportunity to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2008. Also, the challenges the Cavaliers encountered against the Raptors — as well as their fluctuating postseason history — increase the Pistons’ chances of advancing to the next round. Pick: Pistons in 7
John Niyo: Both teams probably arrive in the conference finals feeling a bit relieved. Each got some help on the injury front from their opponent, too. But while the Pistons had to scratch and claw their way back from a 3-1 series deficit, the Cavs nearly threw their series away. So maybe there’s some momentum on Detroit’s side to go along with the home-court advantage. There’s also a realization now that their identity really does count for something more in the playoffs, and after leaning into it to regain control against a big, physical Orlando team in the first round, I’m expecting them to use it to their advantage against Cleveland early in this series. And even though he’s still relatively new at this playoff thing, I’ve got more faith in Cade Cunningham as a closer right now than I do with either James Harden or Donovan Mitchell. Pick: Pistons in 6
Bob Wojnowski: Perhaps the Pistons worked out the kinks in their seven-game slugfest against the Magic. Perhaps the Cavaliers did the same in their seven-game escape against Toronto, setting up what should be a tight, contentious series. The Pistons have the defense, depth and homecourt advantage as the No. 1 seed. They also might have unearthed a true No. 2 scorer in Tobias Harris, who was cool and clutch, scoring 20-plus each of the last five games. The Cavs have a daunting frontline of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen and the starry tandem of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, who struggled against Toronto’s defense. If this comes down to a stare-down (a star-down, so to speak) between Mitchell and Cade Cunningham, it’s hard to pick against the Pistons’ do-everything leader, and their swat-everything defense. Pick: Pistons in 7
NBA playoffs, second round: No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 4 Cavaliers
Game 1: Tuesday, at Detroit, 7 p.m. (NBCSN/Peacock)
Game 2: Thursday, at Detroit, 7 p.m. (Amazon Prime)
Game 3: Saturday, at Cleveland, 3 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
Game 4: Monday, May 11, at Cleveland, 8 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
*Game 5: Wednesday, May 13, at Detroit, TBD (TBD)
*Game 6: Friday, May 15, at Cleveland, TBD (TBD)
*Game 7: Sunday, May 17, at Detroit, TBD (TBD)
*If necessary
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Pistons-Cleveland Cavaliers NBA playoff predictions: Another tight series?
Reporting by Coty M. Davis, John Niyo and Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
