Cavaliers Face Pistons Without Mitchell Due to Shoulder Injury

DETROIT — The Cleveland Cavaliers will face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday without star guard Donovan Mitchell, who is sidelined with a right shoulder contusion. The injury occurred during Tuesday’s 112-105 loss to the Boston Celtics, where Mitchell played through pain, scoring 31 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Mitchell’s absence comes as the Cavaliers (40-10) aim to extend their dominance over the Pistons (25-25), having won 11 consecutive matchups, including a 110-91 victory on Jan. 27. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, with Cleveland favored by 6 points and an over/under of 236.5 points.

“Shoulders are tricky,” Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said pregame. “We don’t want this to be anything long term, but we have to be smart.” Caris LeVert will start in Mitchell’s place, joining Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Max Strus, and Jarrett Allen in the lineup.

Mitchell, a six-time All-Star, has been instrumental in Cleveland’s success this season, averaging 30.3 points, 9.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds over his last eight games. His injury occurred during a fourth-quarter drive against Boston, where he took a hard hit to his shoulder. Despite playing through the discomfort, Mitchell was added to the injury report Wednesday afternoon.

The Pistons, meanwhile, are coming off a heartbreaking 132-130 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, despite a stellar 30-point, 14-assist performance from first-time All-Star Cade Cunningham. Detroit will look to capitalize on Cleveland’s back-to-back fatigue and Mitchell’s absence to snap their losing streak against the Cavaliers.

Cleveland boasts the league’s best offense, ranking first in both 2-point and 3-point percentage, while limiting opponents to the fifth-lowest 2-point percentage defensively. The Pistons, led by Cunningham and 21-year-old Jalen Duren, who is averaging 10.7 points and 10 rebounds, will need a strong collective effort to challenge the East-leading Cavaliers.

The SportsLine Projection Model, which has returned over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks, predicts the game will go under the total points line. The model also indicates a point-spread pick hitting in over 50% of simulations.