Pistons at Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers aren't playing like the top team in the Eastern Conference as they have dropped four of their past five games entering Tuesday's home game against the Detroit Pistons. One of the defeats during the stretch came against the Pistons, who outscored the Cavaliers by 12 points in the fourth quarter last Thursday to record a 106-101 victory.
Cleveland was thumped 117-112 by the Houston Rockets on Sunday and forward LeBron James said the schedule was the problem even though Houston was the first team with a winning record that the Cavaliers played during the five-game span. "We just have to figure it out," James told reporters. "We are a team that is capable of doing that. We knew March was going to be a tough month when we looked at the schedule in the beginning." The Pistons are showing signs that they are serious about making the playoffs by winning four of their last five games and 12 of their past 18. "We're not good all the time, but it's not a group that quits," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "It's a high-character group. We've said that for two years. That's been a conscious thing we've tried to build."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Detroit, FSN Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (33-33): Forward Tobias Harris scored a season-best 28 points in Saturday's 112-92 trouncing of the New York Knicks and scored 20 or more points in three of the past five games. Harris lost his starting job six-plus weeks ago and returned to the lineup for last Thursday's win over Cleveland. Standout center Andre Drummond recorded eight double-doubles in the past nine games after having 20 points and 16 rebounds against the Cavaliers and 24 points and 15 boards versus the Knicks.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (43-22): Cleveland's defense has been suspect by allowing an average of 113.8 points over the past six games and the Cavaliers had no answer per controlling Houston star James Harden, who had 38 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds on Sunday. Cleveland point guard Kyrie Irving recorded 28 points and eight assists against the Rockets but is aware of the deficiencies as the Cavaliers were outworked on the boards by a 60-44 margin. "As of right now, we just have a lot more to learn," Irving told reporters. "That's what it really boils down to. This is not a perfect team right now and we understand that."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pistons won the past two meetings after losing the previous five regular-season matchups.
2. Detroit PG Reggie Jackson topped 20 points three times in six March games but also has outings of eight and six points.
3. Cleveland is considering signing C Larry Sanders, who last played in the NBA in 2014-15 for the Milwaukee Bucks.