Rajon Rondo’s absence will stretch into a fourth game, as the Cleveland Cavaliers guard was a late scratch ahead of their matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Rondo was doubtful to be in the lineup on Saturday, as a result of a nagging ankle injury.
#Cavs vs. #Pistons tip at 8pm on @BallySportsCLE!
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 19, 2022
Cavs starters:
Garland
Okoro
Stevens
Markkanen
Mobley
(Rajon Rondo remains out this evening).
Pistons starters:
Cory Joseph
Cade Cunningham
Saddiq Bey
Jerami Grant
Isaiah Stewart
Rondo has played a supporting role since being traded to Cleveland in January. The veteran point guard played 17 games for the Cavs, coming off the bench in 16 of those while putting up a modest 6.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.
That could mean another big night from Darius Garland, who has played more than 42 minutes in three of his past four outings. However, the Cavs are playing on the second night of a back-to-back, which could mean more court time for Brandon Goodwin, who has totaled 35 minutes over his past three games.
The spread has come down on the Cavs leading up to tip-off, with Cleveland entering the contest as -6 favorites, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
