Preview: Detroit Pistons At Cleveland Cavaliers
Feb 1, 2013; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Shaun Livingston (14) guards Detroit Pistons point guard Will Bynum (12) during the fourth quarter at The Palace. Detroit won 117-99. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
The last time the Detroit Pistons faced off against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the headline was the matchup between Kyrie Irving and Brandon Knight. Now Knight is a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Brandon Jennings runs point for the point for the Pistons. On Thursday at the Q, the Pistons will be without their star guard. Instead guards Will Bynum and Chauncey Billups are expected to man the PG spot.
Andrew Bynum, the Cavaliers major free agent signee has yet to step foot in a preseason contest, but the Cavaliers are relatively optimistic that he will be ready to go early in the season.
Preview:
Detroit will get their first look at the number one overall selection Anthony Bennett on Thursday. Anthony Bennett logged nearly 20 minutes of action on Tuesday against the Bobcats in Canton. Bennett finished Tuesday’s game with 7 points, 5 boards, and fouled out with 6 personal fouls in the fourth quarter. Bennett has played a combination of small forward and power forward during the preseason, as head coach Mike Brown has been mixing and matching his playing rotation.
Earl Clark, the former Los Angeles Laker forward, played 21 minutes off the bench for Cleveland against Charlotte, Shooting 33% from the floor, while scoring a measly 6 points. Alonzo Gee started at the small forward spot for the Cavs and put up the goose egg in nine minutes of play.
Like the Detroit Pistons, the Cavaliers too are dealing with some major injury issues. Andrew Bynum, is still, well, Andrew Bynum, sophomore center Tyler Zeller is out indefinitely with an Appendectomy, and shooting guard Dion Waiters will be held out of Thursday’s game with a sore hip. Meanwhile guard Sergey Karasev will start alongside Kyrie Irving in the backcourt as he has resolved his visa issues.
Detroit plays their first set of back-to-backs as they visited the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night in Derrick Rose’s return to the United Center, and then head off Wednesday night to Cleveland for their 7:00 (eastern time) tip with the Cavs.
Chauncey Billups, who was expected to play Wednesday against the Bulls, will instead be dressed for Thursday’s matchup with the Cavs, Pistons head coach Mo Cheeks said prior to Wednesday’s contest with the Bulls.
BROADCAST:
– Television: SPTO (Cleveland)
– Radio: WWJ 950 AM (Detroit)
PROJECTIONS:
– Starters
Detroit Pistons:
HC: Maurice Cheeks
PG: Will Bynum
SG: Kyle Singler
SF: Josh Smith
PF: Greg Monroe
C: Andre Drummond
Cleveland Cavaliers:
HC: Mike Brown
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Sergey Karasev
SF: Alonzo Gee
PF: Tristan Thompson
C: Henry Sims
INJURY UPDATE:
Detroit Pistons
– Brandon Jennings: OUT (Jaw)
– Rodney Stuckey: OUT (Thumb)
– Luigi Datome: OUT (Hamstring)
Cleveland Cavaliers
– Tyler Zeller: OUT (Appendectomy)
– Andrew Bynum: OUT (Knee)
– Dion Waiters: OUT (Hip)
PREDICTION: 98-93 CLEVELAND
– Coming off an 18-point loss to the Bobcats in Canton, Ohio, Tuesday night, expect the Cavs to try and jump on the Pistons early as they come in on the back-end of a back-to-back. With Jennings, Datome, and Stuckey out Thursday, Kyrie Irving may be too much for the Pistons to handle in Cleveland.
Check back for all of the post game highlights after the game!