Cavaliers at Pistons
The last time Cleveland faced Detroit, it suffered an embarrassing loss that sent the Cavaliers into a tailspin. When the teams meet again Tuesday in Michigan, Cleveland will be soaring and looking to take advantage of a Pistons squad that is still adjusting to the recent loss of leading scorer Brandon Jennings. The Cavaliers, whose loss to Detroit last month ignited a 1-9 slide, won their sixth straight with a 108-98 victory over Oklahoma City on Sunday, capping a 4-0 homestand.
LeBron James finished with 34 points and led his team in scoring in all four of the home wins as he continues to put behind him any concerns over foot and back issues that recently robbed him of eight games, a stretch that began following a difficult performance in the loss to the Pistons. Jennings is out for the season following an Achilles tear but D.J. Augustin, his replacement in the starting lineup, put forth a career-high 35 points in a 114-110 loss at Toronto on Sunday. Augustin was held scoreless on 0-of-4 shooting while Jennings scored 25 points in the previous encounter with Cleveland.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (25-20): Winning six games in a row is one thing, but the manner in which the most recent one came suggested a renewed enthusiasm in Cleveland, as a sold-out crowd and a national television audience surrounded a solid effort with a playoff vibe. "We're a confident bunch," said James, who recently labeled his team 'not very good' amid the stunning struggles. The superstar is averaging 30.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.1 steals in seven games since his return.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (17-28): Augustin's remarkable effort Sunday kept Detroit in a tough road game on the day it learned that Jennings - the team's leading scorer - was lost for the season, no small task given the circumstances. Augustin is now averaging 18.8 points as a starter this season while shooting 46.2 percent, compared to 38.5 in 41 games off the bench. The Pistons will also feature more of reserve point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who averaged 13 points and 5.4 assists in a recent D-League stint, and will look for more scoring punch from veteran forward Anthony Tolliver, who is averaging 10 points over his last seven games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pistons PF Greg Monroe has 11 double-doubles in 14 games this month.
2. Cavaliers SG J.R. Smith has taken 85 of his 132 shots while with Cleveland from beyond the arc, including 23 of 27 over the last two games.
3. Cleveland has scored at least 100 points in seven straight games for the first time since Jan. 31-Feb. 18, 2010.