Cleveland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 9, 2020 ) Cleveland 115, Detroit 112

The Cleveland Cavaliers are enduring a seven-game slide as they continue to strive for consistency within games. The Cavaliers will try not to let one bad quarter send them to an eighth consecutive setback when they visit the Detroit Pistons on Monday.

Cleveland, which is making a one-game stop on the road before heading home for four in a row, held a lead after the first quarter on Saturday and went into the half down by a basket before being outscored 40-19 in the third quarter at home by the Chicago Bulls and going on to suffer a 118-106 setback. "Just another really bad quarter that we had, and we can't win that way," Cavaliers coach John Beilein told reporters. "We had a great crowd, a lot of excitement for a Saturday night game and we didn't get it done again, that's all I can say. We're onto Detroit now and we'll try like we do with every one of these, wins and losses, we are trying to fix what we can fix and it's a process." The Pistons dropped their last two games but battled into overtime against Brooklyn on Saturday while getting solid performances from their young players. "It hurts right now," Detroit coach Dwane Casey told reporters after the tight loss. "I'm telling you; I hate losing. But to see a kid like Bruce (Brown), second-round pick, (Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk), second-round pick, second-year guys coming in and competing. ... I like the steps we're taking."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: FS Ohio, FS Detroit

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (12-34): Cleveland shot 50 percent from the floor on Saturday and handed out 30 assists on 42 made field goals but could not compete at the defensive end. "Our coverages weren't there," Cavaliers forward Kevin Love told reporters. "We just have to help each other out and that hasn't been seen in the last few games. It's gotten past communication. That's something we've always needed to do it and we lacked some of the time and it's past our coverages. It's helping the next guy. I know that seems very simple, but it's not always easy." Cleveland is surrendering an average of 114.2 points and is last in the NBA in opponent field-goal percentage, allowing teams to go off at 48.9 percent.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (17-30): Injuries to veteran players opened opportunities for players like Brown and Mykhailiuk, who combined for 36 points on 14-of-27 shooting in Saturday's 121-111 setback. "They're playing with incredible confidence," center Andre Drummond - the lone remaining starter from Detroit's preseason top unit still healthy - told reporters of Brown and Mykhailiuk. "Svi's playing fantastic. He's shooting the ball very well. Bruce has become one of the top-tier defenders in the league. I think the sky's the limit for both of them. They're playing really well." Drummond delivered 20 points and 21 rebounds on Saturday - his eighth 20-20 performance of the season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Cleveland PF Larry Nance Jr. recorded a double-double in each of the last three games.

2. Pistons PG Derrick Rose scored 20 or more points in each of the last 12 contests.

3. The road team took the first two meetings this season, with Cleveland earning a 115-112 overtime triumph at Detroit on Jan. 9.

PREDICTION: Pistons 127, Cavaliers 119