Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons may be without some of their key players in Monday night's matchup.

Why Darius Garland isn't playing tonight for Cavaliers vs. Pistons with potential return date originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to be at full strength this season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers got off to a winning start on their home floor against the Milwaukee Bucks – but it wasn’t by any means clinical. Team basketball overca

Cleveland Cavaliers players warm up before their 2025-26 home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 26, 2025, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

Working new players and injuries could prevent the Cavs from having another great start, which really hasn't led to much in recent years.

Sam Merrill is at the top of his game right now. On Sunday, Oct. 26, the 29-year-old sharp-shooting guard was incredibly impactful for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are listing Donovan Mitchell as their starting point guard tonight against the Detroit Pistons. Cleveland’s roster is a bit more shorthanded than usual, with Lonzo Ball listed as OUT due to left knee management, alongside an already absent Darius Garland, who continues to rehab a left toe injury.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a gamble by trading for oft-injured guard Lonzo Ball in the offseason. The move, assuming Ball can capture some of his old magic, would give the Cavaliers another ball-dominant facilitator with good court vision and strong defensive skill sets.