The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without a key piece of their backcourt rotation for Thursday night's pivotal Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons. Reserve guard Sam Merrill has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, leaving the Cavs searching for perimeter scoring as they look to even their second-round playoff series.

The 29-year-old sharpshooter went down early in Tuesday night's Game 1 loss to the Pistons. Following the injury, Merrill underwent an MRI and was held out of Wednesday's practice—a clear sign the team is taking a cautious approach with their valuable bench contributor.

Merrill had been enjoying a strong postseason run after averaging 12.8 points during the regular season. He found his rhythm in the first round against the Toronto Raptors, scoring in double figures twice during the seven-game series. His ability to stretch the floor with deep shooting range has made him an important option off the bench for Cleveland's offense.

With Merrill sidelined, the Cavaliers will need other guards to step up their production as they face a must-win situation on the road. The team will be looking to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole against a confident Pistons squad that already stole home-court advantage in Game 1.