2 most important Cleveland Cavaliers for success against lost Detroit Pistons

Against the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland superstar guard Donovan Mitchell only attempted three shots in the paint. Overall, he shot a dismal 5-13 in the double-overtime loss. Mitchell looked exhausted early on and he had every right to have an off night. Against Detroit, the Cavaliers need a dominant and physical Donovan Mitchell.

While Strus’ shot saved the day against the Mavs the night before, Mitchell also provided myriad help for the Cavs in their late comeback. Playing again the next night, Strus and Mitchell looked tired and shot ineffectively the entire game.

As the Cavaliers visit the Pistons, Mitchell availability is pending once again. Since the break, Mitchell has been inconsistently available for the Cavs due to illness and now knee soreness. Cavs insider Chris Fedor of cleveland.com relayed Mitchell’s steadfast efforts to stay on the court, but injury luck has hardly gone in Cleveland’s favor all season. If Mitchell is out of the lineup again, the Cavaliers will enter their next set of games without any real rhythm.

While reinstate Mobley and Garland went pretty well, the Cavs are still without a real identity when their five best players share the court together. Garland’s three-point shot is finally taking shape, and Mobley’s performance on the short roller is improving nicely, especially when he finds an open lane to cut to the basket. If Mitchell manages to get on the court, the Cavaliers will have one more chance to iron out the flaws in their game plan before it is strained.

In his second year with the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell is build a dazzling MVP case, and teams are clearly more confident against Cleveland when their best player is absent. The Cavaliers need Mitchell for their final games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will take the court at Little Caesars Arena to visit the Detroit Pistons at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The game will be broadcast on local Bally Sports channels for television and on NBA League Pass online.