Pistons at Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers take a stab at their first winning streak in well over a month when they host the stumbling Detroit Pistons on Sunday in the front half of a home-and-home set. A 115-108 win over Indiana on Friday counts as just the fifth victory in the last 16 games for the Cavaliers, who got a triple-double - albeit with a career-high 11 turnovers - from LeBron James in a much-needed triumph.
"It's a four-interception game for a quarterback with a win," James told reporters of his uneven effort. "That's what I think of it. I just made some bad decisions." Derrick Rose added 14 points in 15 minutes in his best game since returning from a lengthy layoff as Cleveland improved to 17-6 at home. The Pistons could be easy pickings for the ailing Cavaliers, as Detroit has lost seven in a row after Saturday's 121-108 setback at home against Oklahoma City. Additionally, Cleveland has taken the last two meetings by an average of 30 points.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (22-25): Tobias Harris scored a team-high 21 points while his fellow starters combined for 23 on 9-of-24 shooting. "Their starting lineup just dominated us," coach Stan Van Gundy told the media. "The thing is, we've got to try to do the things that are more within our control. ... Just very, very basic things." Ish Smith highlighted a solid effort by five reserves by scoring 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting and nine assists.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (28-19): Cleveland's downturn largely coincides with the return of guard Isaiah Thomas, who has struggled with his shot and has been labeled by some as the primary cause for the team's defensive woes. "We've been a lowest five [rated] defensive team in the NBA the whole time," Thomas told the media Saturday. "So when I come back, it's my fault now. Which, life isn't fair, but that's not fair, bro. At all. I just laugh at those things because I know in this circle and this team, everybody believes in each other, and everybody's in here for it to work and for us to be playing in June. That's the ultimate goal." Thomas, who averaged 31.3 points in four games against Detroit last season while with the Boston Celtics, is shooting 39 percent from the floor and 27.6 percent from 3-point range in nine games with the Cavaliers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cleveland F Kevin Love led the way with 19 points in the 116-88 win at Detroit on Nov. 20.
2. Pistons C Andre Drummond has attempted - and missed - exactly one 3-pointer in each of the last three games after trying just three in his previous 42 outings.
3. Cavaliers SG Dwyane Wade (personal reasons) sat out Friday's win.