Cavs at Pistons: Game Preview

Well, if you’re the Cavaliers, about all you can hope to do is keep a good thing going.

That may be a little harder to do is they tip off a daunting trip Friday vs. the Pistons, because we don’t yet know if Donovan Mitchell (ankle) or Darius Garland (knee) are playing. Yeah, it’s only their starting All-Star backcourt.

As we relayed here, Mitchell suffered a left ankle sprain in the big win over the Celtics the other night, and Garland suffered a sprained left knee. Both players are listed as questionable. It sounds as if each is a game-time decision.

For now, all the Cavs can do is focus on the task ahead and ride the confidence often provided by having won six straight. But in order to have a chance, even against the young and rebuilding Pistons, you would think they’d need at least Mitchell or Garland. Especially on the road.

If not, it will be up to the likes of Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert to save the day, with perhaps either LeVert or Cedi Osman running the point. But that’s just a lot of speculation.

For now, the Cavs can bank on the fact that they still have J.B. Bickerstaff as coach, they still know how to overcome adversity and they still have plenty of players who are certainly capable. Against the Pistons, they may need all that and more.

Cavs at Celtics

• RECORDS: Cavs 6-1; Pistons 2-7
• TIPOFF: 7 p.m. EST
• LOCATION: Little Caesars Arena
• TV: Bally Sports Ohio
• INJURIES: Cavs – Mitchell (ankle) questionable; Garland (knee) questionable; Raul Neto (ankle) questionable; Ricky Rubio (knee) out; Dylan Windler (ankle) out. Pistons – Jalen Duren (ankle) probable; Marvin Bagley III (knee) out; Alec Burks (foot) out.

More from Hoops Wire

• Cavs’ Mitchell, Carland listed as questionable
• Dribbles: Garland returns and for the second time, yes, Cavs top Celtics in OT