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The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t assemble the highest-paid roster in the league just to get out of the first round.
“We haven’t done anything,” Donovan Mitchell said after his team closed out the Toronto Raptors in seven games. “It’s just the first round.”
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The Cavs will have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team that proved to be one of the best defenses in the league all season. That said, there’s a path to winning the series and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Let’s get into the keys for Game 1.
1. Reestablish the pick-and-roll
Both Mitchell and James Harden struggled to shake free of Toronto’s perimeter defenders. The top-locking defensive strategy, coupled with their ability to switch every screen and not be at a distinct disadvantage because of it, made it difficult for them to establish a consistent scoring rhythm. At least not the kind we’re used to seeing.
Detroit is a better statistical and traditional defense than Toronto. They were the second-best unit in the league for a reason. Their ability to run teams off the three-point line, funnel them inside, and then provide tough contests from there made them difficult for teams to crack, especially with two imposing centers in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.
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At the same time, they aren’t a switch-heavy team like the Raptors, which does present some additional openings for the Cavs to attack mismatches.
Cleveland’s best offense this year has been when they can create advantages off the pick-and-roll. They should be able to get into those actions much easier, given Detroit’s drop coverage.
2. Exploiting the weak links
The Raptors weren’t the most talented team in the playoffs, but there aren’t many groups that had as many passable two-way players. There really weren’t any weak links to attack on offense or ignore completely on defense.
The Pistons have more talent, but there’s more guys who aren’t high impact on both sides of the ball.
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/5-keys-cavs-pistons-game-110000314.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-05 11:00:00
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