Pistons' rematch with Cavs carries extra weight after rival's locker room comments

The Pistons didn't have their best showing against the Cavaliers last week, but they'll get another shot on Tuesday night. After Detroit scraped by with an overtime against an injured Cleveland squad, the Cavaliers were evidently feeling good about their chances in a playoff series. According to reporter Chris Fedor, the Cavaliers felt that the Pistons "aren't in our class" following the game.

The Cavaliers have historically played the Pistons well in the last two years. They won the season series 3-1 last season and have even handed the Pistons their worst loss this season, a 21-point affair on October 27th. The Cavaliers rightfully feel confident given their recent play since acquiring James Harden, but they might be getting ahead of themselves if they think the Pistons will be a walk in the park come playoff time.

The Pistons and Cavaliers rivalry will heat up even more

The two teams have been historical rivals as division opponents for nearly 50 years. But they've rarely been good at the same time, save for a brief overlap between LeBron James' rise and the tail end of the Pistons' "Goin' To Work" era. Both franchises now being top contenders in the East is a perfect setup for some fierce games.

The Cavaliers have reason to be confident. It is true that the Pistons barely beat them without their two best offensive players in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. It's also true that the Pistons have yet to play them at full health since they traded for Harden. But there's also ample room for caution on the Cavs' end.

For the last 3 years, the Cavaliers have consistenly disappointed in the playoffs. This was capped off by an upset loss in the second round last year to the Pacers, in a 4-1 series. It was an especially disappointing loss because Cleveland finished as the top seed in the East and one of the best teams in the league. But once again, the lights were brighter than expected in the postseason.

And new acquisition James Harden has his own extensive list of playoff disappointments. There are at least 4 different fanbases that can point to Harden's shortcomings in the postseason holding them back. And Harden also tends to disappear when his team needs him most in Games 6 and 7 of a playoff series.

So maybe the Cavaliers should try to prove themselves in the playoffs before proclaiming that they're on another tier from the Pistons. Sure the Pistons haven't won any playoff series with their current core either but they've only had one shot to do so. Both the Cavs and Harden have repeatedly come up short, which is even worse than having no experience.

Just as the Pistons are passing by some of their old rivals, the Cavaliers have popped up as a new one. And there's already plenty of shots fired.