The Pistons had their hands full in their first-round matchup, but so did their upcoming opponent. The Cavaliers also went to 7 games against the Raptors in Round 1, and many of their weaknesses were exposed by Toronto in that matchup. Going into the second round, the Pistons have already gotten a blueprint for beating Cleveland that they can follow and improve upon.
The Pistons should follow the Raptors' lead
Detroit did not match up well with Cleveland after the Cavaliers made their big in-season trade for James Harden. In two matchups following that move, the Pistons had a narrow victory and lost one game. In Detroit's win, they had to rely on late-game heroics to take the game into overtime - all while James Harden and Donovan Mitchell sat out with injury.
But the playoffs could be a different story. The Pistons learned some valuable lessons in Round 1, including the importance of consistency across an entire 7-game series. As their first-round series went on, the Pistons clawed their way back from a 3-1 deficit. On the other hand, the Cavs seemed to close control of the series at times after initially starting with a strong 2-0 lead that seemed to be headed for a short series.
The Raptors proved that size and defensive intensity can lead to success against the Cavaliers. Not only did the Raptors rely on defensive stops for quick offense just as the Pistons do, but they also played heavily in the midrange. Detroit's leading scorers from Round 1 love to attack the midrange area, and will gladly feast there if it's a weak spot for Cleveland.
Although Cleveland is known as a high-octane offense with great shooting, Toronto was still able to limit them in some games to barely cracking 100 points. Their efforts on both ends were led by the disruptive and physically dominant Scottie Barnes, whose wrecked havoc with his defensive versatility. The Pistons can match that defensive impact with their own disruptors, most notably Ausar Thompson.
Cleveland looks less intimidating after Round 1
Another important aspect of the first-round series between Cleveland and Toronto was the variance in the Cavaliers' shooting. Although they might win some games in dominant fashion when they're hitting shots, the Cavs can also look awful when those same shots aren't falling. As the series wore on, their lead guards in Harden and Mitchell appeared to get fatigued and the entire offense stalled.
If the Pistons can capitalize on their learnings from the Raptors' example, they should have a great strategy for beating the Cavaliers. Detroit has the personnel to replicate what worked for Toronto, but Cleveland doesn't have the personnel to replicate what worked for Orlando in the first round.
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