Defense has become a growing concern for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who look to snap a season-high three-game losing streak when they face the visiting Detroit Pistons on Monday.
The Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers lost to the Houston Rockets for the second time in four days on Saturday in a 135-131 defeat. Cleveland fell to 21-3 at home.
Darius Garland scored 39 points for the Cavaliers on Saturday, while Donovan Mitchell added 33. The Cavaliers shot 51.6 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from 3-point range, but struggled to contain the Rockets, who had four starters reach 20 points.
The Rockets shot 54.9 percent from the field and 46.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Cleveland has allowed 114 or more points in eight of 12 games this month and was unable to contain Houston big men Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams in Saturday’s loss. The duo combined for 40 points and 12 rebounds.
“We’re scoring 130 points, but it seems like consistently now we’re giving up in the 130s, and it’s just too much,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “If we can get back to defending like we have most of the year, we’ll be fine. But right now, we’re leaking in too many places.”
Cleveland forward Evan Mobley played 29 minutes on Saturday in his first action since missing four games with a right calf strain. He finished with seven points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
While the Cavaliers’ recent stretch hasn’t exactly been welcomed by Atkinson, he believes the team could benefit from the losses.
“I think this patch of adversity is good. It’s great,” Atkinson said. “This is the NBA. It’s tough. Let’s see how we respond to this. We’ll bounce back.”
The Cavaliers have enjoyed plenty of success against Detroit in recent years with 10 straight wins, including a 113-101 home victory on Oct. 25.
The Pistons had their four-game road winning streak snapped on Saturday, losing 121-113 to the Orlando Magic. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 35 points, 11 assists and five rebounds.
The physical game featured seven technical fouls, one flagrant foul and multiple official reviews. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was ejected midway through the fourth quarter.
“These games against teams like this are going to be extremely physical,” Bickerstaff said. “We understand that. We are good with that. Just make sure we maintain the physicality and do not allow the officials to become a part of the game because we take it too far.”
Bickerstaff was encouraged by the play of forward Ausar Thompson, who missed two games due to illness earlier this month. He had 16 points, five rebounds, four steals and a block in a season-high 29 minutes against Orlando.
“I feel great; it feels good to have reached almost the 30-minute mark,” Thompson said. “I feel great. I feel conditioned. However many minutes they need me to play, I’ll be ready to play.”
Thompson may need to play a greater role on Monday if forward Tobias Harris is unavailable. Harris did not return after exiting the loss to Orlando early in the third quarter with a head injury.
