The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading into a pivotal Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, but they might be missing a key piece of their rotation. After dropping the series opener 0-1 on Tuesday, the Cavs are looking to even the score on the road before heading home for Game 3.
Leading the injury report is sharpshooter Sam Merrill, who has been listed as questionable due to a left hamstring strain. Merrill exited Tuesday's game early after aggravating the injury, leaving his availability for Thursday's 7:00 PM ET tip-off on Amazon Prime Video up in the air.
If Merrill is sidelined, expect Jaylon Tyson and veteran guard Dennis Schröder to see increased minutes off the bench. Both players have provided solid depth this season, and their roles could expand as Cleveland tries to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole in the series.
Fortunately for Cavaliers fans, the rest of the roster is healthy and ready to go. This includes stars like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who will need to step up offensively to keep pace with a hungry Pistons squad on their home court.
With the series shifting to Cleveland for Game 3, a win on Thursday would be huge for the Cavs' momentum. For now, all eyes are on Merrill's status as tip-off approaches.
