Sean Barnard breaks down the upcoming second-round NBA Playoffs series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons will face off in the second round of the Eastern Conference, with the remaining playoff teams trimmed down to eight. Both sides are coming off a grueling seven-game series and will have little time for rest. The Cavaliers squeaked by the Raptors while the Pistons were pushed to the brink by the eighth-seeded Magic.
The Pistons are -125 favorites to win the series on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Cavaliers are +105 underdogs. These are the shortest odds of any of the second-round matchups.
However, there are plenty of different ways to get involved in the action that hold more appeal than just betting the series straight up. This article will take a look at a preview for each team and a pair of series bets that have caught my eye.
It was a turbulent series for the Cleveland Cavaliers. After failing to get over the postseason hump with the same core, Cleveland pulled the plug by trading Darius Garland in exchange for James Harden, hoping this would change. It took seven games for them to officially bury the youthful Toronto Raptors, but Cleveland proved to have enough to get the job done. The Cavaliers finished the regular season with a 52-30 record and earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland has gone 36-53 against the spread, and the game total is 45-44 to the over/under.
Even following Harden’s addition, Donovan Mitchell still headlines the production for Cleveland. The seven-time All-Star averaged 27.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.5 rebounds across the regular season. Neither star quite lived up to expectations in the opening round, but they still advanced to the second round. Harden added 20.5 points and 7.7 assists across his 26 games in Cleveland, while Evan Mobley posted averages of 18.2 points and nine rebounds per game. Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, and Dean Wade also play notable roles.
As a team, the Cavaliers averaged 119.5 points per game during the regular season, ranking fourth in the NBA. Cleveland also ranks sixth in offensive rating, eighth in field goal percentage, and 13th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents have scored 115.4 points per game against the Cavaliers, which ranks 15th. They also rank 15th in defensive rating, eighth in opponent field goal percentage, and 26th in opponent three-point percentage.
The Detroit Pistons led the Eastern Conference from start to finish this season, ultimately finishing the season with a 60-22 overall record. The organization had a massive turnaround last season, improving its record from 14-68 in 2023-24 to 44-38. They got their first taste of postseason basketball, losing to the Knicks in a hard-fought series, and further took a step forward this season. While it was not the cleanest path to advancing to the second round, Detroit’s postseason aspirations are still within reach. On the season, the Pistons are 47-42 against the spread and 41-48 to the over/under.
Cade Cunningham sets the tone for this entire roster and leads the team in production. The former number one overall pick posted averages of 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds across the regular season. Jalen Duren made an All-Star leap alongside him, posting averages of 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game on the season, but he has greatly struggled in this postseason. Daniss Jenkins has been a breakout impact player this season, while Tobias Harris provides veteran leadership to the young roster. Ausar Thompson, Kevin Huerter, Duncan Robinson, and Ron Holland also play notable roles.
Detroit is scoring 117.8 points per game this season, which ranks eighth in the NBA. The Pistons also rank 10th in offensive rating, third in field-goal percentage and 17th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 109.6 points per game against the Pistons, which ranks third in the league. J.B. Bickerstaff’s squad also ranks second in defensive rating, third in opponent field-goal percentage, and first in opponent three-point percentage.
It was a concerning opening series for the Detroit Pistons, but this is a much cleaner matchup for them. Detroit has built an identity by playing hard-nosed defense and being the tougher and more athletic team on just about every floor they walk on. The Magic had the size to match this, and the Pistons’ offensive struggles showed face for stretches.
Don’t expect this to be the case against the Cavaliers. This is the same Cavaliers’ core that head coach Kenny Atkinson publicly questioned for its toughness following a playoff exit. While James Harden is a change on the roster, he doesn’t exactly have the track record to support this change in mental toughness. Evan Mobley is a high-level defender, but the Cavaliers have underwhelmed defensively all season. They faced a Raptors team with some similar offensive issues as the Pistons, and Toronto still managed to push them to seven games. This includes the Raptors winning a game in which they shot just 32% from the field and 13% from three-point range.
In addition, it felt as if the Pistons took a few games to wake up to the playoff atmosphere. The organization largely had the top seed locked up for a few weeks and was able to take its foot off the gas down the stretch. In contrast, the Magic had been fighting for their playoff lives for a couple of weeks and played with a desperation that showed in the results. The Pistons got better as the series went on and looked like the team they showed all season by the series conclusion. Expect this to carry over into the second round and for Detroit to find a way to win with the -125 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook being extremely manageable.
The Pistons finished the regular season with a 31-9 record at home this season. They also won three straight games at home during the round one series after dropping the series opener. While the Cavaliers posted a 25-16 road record during the regular season, they dropped all three games in Toronto in the opening round, including a 22-point blowout. Detroit has a committed fan base that is sure to bring the energy and believes in this current team. This will be a hostile atmosphere for Cleveland, and the Pistons have a strong outlook for protecting home court.
It is fair not to have full belief in this Pistons team after a concerning opening round. But they flipped the switch midway through and looked like the team they have all season. Cleveland has not shown the ability to win on the road in the postseason, and this path only looks slimmer in this matchup. Expect the Pistons to defend their home court whenever they have the chance, and the +270 odds are a friendly payout for matchups they will likely be comfortable favorites in.
Game 1 of the Cavaliers vs. Pistons series will take place on Tuesday, May 5th at 7 p.m. ET.
Game 1 will be held at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, as the Pistons hold the home-court advantage in the series.
This is a best-of-seven series between the Cavaliers and Pistons. The first team to win four games will move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.
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