Three Takeaways from the Cleveland Cavaliers' Crushing Loss to the Detroit Pistons

It was bound to happen, especially without two of the league's best guards.

On Friday, Feb. 27, the Cleveland Cavaliers travelled north to take on the Detroit Pistons in a can't-miss Eastern Conference clash. Through 48 minutes of play, a winner wasn't decided, forcing the two sides into overtime, where the Pistons were able to squeak out a win, 122-119.

The loss for the Cavaliers is the team's second-straight, marking a downspell following injuries to guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. With both out, the coaching staff has been forced to shuffle lineups and experiment with new rotations. Their absences have tested the team’s depth and on-court chemistry.

Fortunately, to Cleveland's credit, it hasn't seemed to drop the production and on-court efficiency too much, but it's obvious that the Cavaliers are better with both on the court and healthy.

Here are three takeways from the Cavaliers' loss to the Pistons on Friday night:

The Bench Play Was Excellent

For most of the game, the coaching staff leaned on its bench to give those who weren't used to playing such heavy minutes at the guard position ample rest. Without Harden and Mitchell, they turned to multiple different players to fill the voids they had left.

Sam Merrill, Dennis Schroder, Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor played a big chunk of minutes. All but Proctor, who's just a rookie, played over 30.

Each picked up a spot left empty by the two high-level guards, adding scoring from beyond the arc and inside, playmaking and defense. Merrill finished with 20 points, while Shroder and Porter Jr. finished with nine and 12 assists, respectively. Proctor, who's a bit lanky, picked up some of that defensive aggression, snagging a steal and committing three fouls.

These are valuable minutes for players who may get more limited time when the playoffs roles around.

The Cavaliers Have to Cut Down on Turnovers

Turnovers were a bit high.

At the conclusion of the game, the Cavaliers' offense had turned the ball over 17 times compared to 13 from the Pistons. That mark is three higher than their season average of roughly 14 turnovers a night, marking a decline in that area with new facilitators in place. Schroder committed eight, while Porter Jr. committed three.

While it may have just been a fluke game in that regard, especially considering the team is still getting used to playing without Harden and Mitchell, the coaching staff will have to monitor the situation and hope it doesn't become a habit.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen Can Exist in the Same Offense

For the first time in a while, Mobley and Allen looked sharp together.

They obviously recognized that they would have to carry the Cavaliers to a potential victory, especially on the offensive end. While they didn't push the team to a win, they did put together a combined great performance.

Allen posted a team-high 25 points with nine rebounds and Mobley put up a strong 23 points and 12 rebounds. They accounted for 21 of the Cavaliers' 41 rebounds. They were also extremely effective shooting the basketball, with Allen missing just two shots and Mobley missing six.

If they can continue to flow side-by-side, instead of solo, they'll be able to start slowly ending the notion that the Cavaliers need to trade one of the two.

As the Cavaliers prepare for a late-season playoff push, one in which that could see them jump up the Eastern Conference standings more, they'll have to hope that Harden and Mitchell can get healthy. Since joining the team at the NBA Trade Deadline, Harden has helped Cleveland's offense take a step up and return to league-best status.

For now, though, the coaching staff can sleep peacefully knowing they've got good enough depth to hold them over for the time being.

Up next, Cleveland prepares to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, March 1, with the opening tip slated for 3:30 p.m. EST.