Cavaliers at Pistons
Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons carry three-game winning streaks into their matchup Wednesday night in Detroit. The Cavaliers kept alive their run with a 109-99 victory at home over Sacramento on Tuesday, staying perfect since the firing of general manager Chris Grant last week. Cleveland has not won four straight since 2009-10, LeBron James' final season with the team.
The Cavaliers have another less-flattering streak that remains alive, that being seven straight losses to the Pistons. Detroit will have loads of momentum as it attempts to push that run to eight straight, as it has won its first three games of a five-game homestand by an average of 14 points, including a 109-100 defeat of powerhouse San Antonio on Monday in the first game since the firing of former head coach Maurice Cheeks. Brandon Jennings scored 21 points to help interim coach John Loyer get off to a good start.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (19-33): One of the moves Grant was criticized for earlier in the season was the selection of forward Anthony Bennett in last summer's draft, but Bennett has broken out amid the front office shakeup. The rookie set personal bests with 19 points and 10 rebounds versus the Kings on Tuesday and has scored in double figures in four of his last eight games. Bennett failed to reach the 10-point mark in his first 32 games as a pro.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (22-29): One of Cheeks' last maneuvers was installing forward Kyle Singler into the starting lineup in place of rookie guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the winning streak soon followed. Singler is averaging 12 points and 2.3 steals during the three-game run while Jennings has upped his performance as well. The streaky guard has recorded 18 assists against just two turnovers in the last two games after nearly producing a triple-double in the first of the three straight wins.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. F Josh Smith scored 25 points and Jennings had 21 and nine assists in Detroit's 115-92 rout at Cleveland on Dec. 23.
2. Cleveland played Tuesday without C Anderson Varejao (back) and G C.J. Miles (foot).
3. Detroit has won five straight at home.