Cavaliers vs Pistons NBA Playoffs Game 2 Picks

The Cleveland Cavaliers were manhandled by the Detroit Pistons in Game 1, as the hosts showed why they’re the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Now, Donovan Mitchell and company will try to move forward and steal Game 2 before they return home on Saturday. 

With an Eastern Conference Final appearance on the line, both teams will go all out, and the Pistons will do their best to defend their home court. Let’s dive into our Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2 predictions before the game tips off at 7 pm ET.

Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2 predictions

• Pick #1: Detroit Pistons -3.5 over Cleveland Cavaliers (-105)
• Pick #2: Over 215.5 (-110) 
• Pick #3: Jarrett Allen Under 18.5 Points+Rebounds (-125)

PICK #1: Pistons -3.5 over Cavaliers (-105)

Detroit delivered a statement in Game 1, and the foundation that produced a 111-101 victory shows no signs of cracking for Game 2. The Pistons controlled the paint, the perimeter, and the final four minutes, with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren combining to put Cleveland away for good. The blueprint was clear, and Detroit has every reason to stick to it.

The turnover battle remains Cleveland's biggest vulnerability. The Cavaliers averaged 17.3 turnovers per game in the first round (second-most in the playoffs) and committed 19 in Game 1 alone, which Detroit converted into 31 points. James Harden was the primary culprit, finishing with seven turnovers against just six made field goals on 15 attempts.

The interior mismatch is equally damning. Jalen Duren snagged seven offensive rebounds in Game 1, directly limiting Jarrett Allen's effectiveness and playing time. Detroit also shot 35 free throws to Cleveland's 16, reflecting a physical dominance that is difficult to flip in 48 hours. The Pistons went 35-10 at home this season, and with Cleveland's turnover problems showing no signs of a quick fix, laying the short number in Detroit is the right play again tonight.

PICK #2: Over 215.5 (-110)

Game 1 finished with 212 points, but we expect a slight uptick here in Game 2. First off, the Cavaliers will likely look to push the tempo early to avoid Detroit’s physical half-court defense. Additionally, the Cavs scored just 101 points in Game 1, but they’ve put up 110 or more in six of their last nine contests. The Over has cashed in eight of Cleveland’s previous 12 contests.

Now, there’s no denying that the Pistons are a team that cashes the Under regularly, but this rivalry has historically featured plenty of points. These squads have combined for 222 points per game over their last 10 meetings, and we expect both teams to improve on their 45% and 44% shooting in Game 1. They just came up short on this number in Game 1, but both offenses should do enough to cash the Over tonight.

PICK #3: Jarrett Allen Under 18.5 Points+Rebounds (-125)

We discussed this earlier, but Duren is clearly a problem for Jarrett Allen and the Cavaliers' frontcourt. The Cavaliers' big man struggled against Durren in Game 1, playing just six minutes in the first quarter without grabbing a single rebound, sitting the entire second quarter, and finishing with just 18 total minutes. This is a mismatch that Cleveland's coaching staff couldn’t solve in Game 1, and we don’t see that changing in Game 2 tonight.

This same prop for Allen was 21.5 in Game 1, and he finished with just 2 points and 3 rebounds. The only reason that number was so high was due to his 22-point and 19-rebound performance in Game 7 against Toronto. However, he had fewer than 19 points and rebounds in Games 1-5 against the Raptors, and he also finished under this number against the Pistons in their final regular-season matchup on March 3.