Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons (01-05-2026) game preview: When and where to watch, expected lineup, injury report, prediction, and more

Despite losing to the Miami Heat 118-112 at home on Thursday, the Pistons are still in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 25-9 record. They had a chance to finish the comeback in the fourth quarter, but eventually failed.

With a 20–16 record, the Cavaliers are ranked sixth in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Denver Nuggets 113-108 on Friday, their third consecutive triumph. In the victory, Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 33 points.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons - When and where to watch the game

This afternoon, the Detroit Pistons will head to Rocket Arena to play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. At 2:00 PM ET, fans may watch the action on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit. Fubo and DirecTV Stream also offer streaming choices. For new users, both streaming services provide free trials and first-month discounts.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons - Expected Starting Lineups

Cleveland Cavaliers

PG Darius Garland
SG Donovan Mitchell
SF Jaylon Tyson
PF Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen

Detroit Pistons

PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Ronald Holland II
C Isaiah Stewart

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons - Injury Report

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Jarrett Allen – Questionable (Illness)
• Sam Merrill – Questionable (Ankle)
• Chris Livingston – Questionable (Two-way contract)
• Max Strus – Out (Foot)
• Dean Wade – Questionable (Knee)
• Larry Nance Jr. – Out (Right calf)

Detroit Pistons

• Jalen Duren – Out (Ankle)
• Tobias Harris – Out (Hip)
• Caris LeVert – Out (Knee)
• Wendell Moore Jr. – Questionable (Two- way contract)

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons - Game Prediction

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who have defeated the Detroit Pistons in nine of their last ten encounters, will play the injury-plagued team at Rocket Arena. After a poor start, Cleveland is improving, and my predictions for the Pistons vs. Cavaliers are that the home team will destroy Detroit.

At last, the Cavaliers are beginning to resemble the squad that won 64 games the previous season. They have won three straight games, two of which were as the underdog (against the San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets). Cleveland has won two straight games as the favorite and three straight at home.

The Pistons, who were among the NBA's most popular teams at the beginning of the season, have cooled off and will be without two important players on Sunday: Harris and Duren. In its last four away games, Detroit has a 1-3 ATS record.





Also read: Los Angeles Clippers vs Detroit Pistons (12-28-2025) game preview: When and where to watch, expected lineup, injury report, prediction, and more