The Pistons struggled defensively on Monday during the second half of a back-to-back and are hoping the Cleveland Cavaliers face the same issue when they visit Detroit on Wednesday.
Detroit started their six-game homestand with two wins but lost to the Atlanta Hawks 132-130 on Monday. Trae Young hit a game-winning shot with 1.6 seconds left, ending Atlanta’s eight-game losing streak.
The Pistons allowed 73 points in the first half, which helped the Hawks regain their confidence.
“I thought defensively, in that first half, we just weren’t good,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We weren’t locked in, we weren’t engaged. We gave them comfort and rhythm, and then obviously they have guys that can make plays. If you make it that type of game, they just need to make one more play, and they did that.”
The Pistons matched their second-highest scoring output of the season, so the issue wasn’t on offense. All-Star Cade Cunningham scored 30 points and had 14 assists while the team shot 51.8% from the field.
“We definitely weren’t dialed in on the defensive end (Monday),” reserve center Isaiah Stewart said. “We knew the job that we had to do coming out, obviously we got them at their place. We knew they were coming out with that same energy, so we didn’t match that. We waited too late to try to turn it on.”
Detroit’s record fell back to .500. The Pistons, who won 14 games last season, are now 25-25 and 12-12 at home.
“I feel like we’re a target now, obviously with winning games and turning things around this season,” Stewart said. “Teams are coming to play against us. They know what kind of game it’s going to be.”
The Pistons are hoping to end their 11-game losing streak against the Cavaliers, which includes two losses this season. Detroit’s last win over Cleveland was on February 24, 2022.
The Cavaliers lost to Boston 112-105 on Tuesday. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Darius Garland added 25 points, and Jarrett Allen contributed 17 points and 18 rebounds.
Cleveland All-Star Evan Mobley will be looking to bounce back after struggling in the Boston game, where he scored just seven points on 3-of-14 shooting.
The Cavaliers had their four-game winning streak snapped and will play three of their last four games before the All-Star break on the road.
As the trade deadline approaches, both Cleveland and Detroit players are waiting to see what moves might be made. The Cavaliers aren’t expected to make a major move, but coach Kenny Atkinson said president of basketball operations Koby Altman is considering all options.
“We’re really good, but obviously there could always be something out there that gets us to the next level,” Atkinson said. “My one thing to Koby is that we have great chemistry right now and a great kind of culture, a great locker room culture. That’s super important to me. The continuity thing has really helped, so if it is a trade or buyout (acquisition), it has to be the right fit.”
