The Detroit Pistons will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday as they hope to take a 3-2 lead in Round 2 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. After a strong start that led to two home wins, the Pistons looked out of sorts in Cleveland, dropping back-to-back games. Now, as the series goes back to Detroit, the Pistons have to go back to the drawing board and make the necessary adjustments to win Game 5.
Unfortunately, this may be even more complicated than the Pistons thought. In the official injury report ahead of the game, the Pistons listed three important role players as "questionable" to play.
Pistons' Game 5 challenge just got more difficult after latest injury news
Kevin Huerter, Caris LeVert, and Duncan Robinson's status will be determined closer to 8 pm EST tipoff. Huerter continues to deal with a left adductor strain, LeVert has a right heel contusion, and Robinson popped up on the injury list with low back soreness.
Huerter has missed the last seven games for the Pistons with the same issue. LeVert was dealing with his heel before Game 4, but was able to suit up and deliver his best playoff performance in a Pistons uniform. Unless he suffered a setback in the game, the veteran guard should be considered more likely to play than his two teammates.
Robinson's surprise appearance on the injury report is certainly the most concerning one. Not only is he a starter who plays over 30 minutes per game in the playoffs, but Robinson is the only elite shooter on the team. His presence is very important for Detroit's offense to function.
Before Pistons fans start worrying too much about the state of the rotation, there is cause for optimism. MLive's Jacob Richman reported that all three players participated in the shootaround this morning. LeVert and Huerter were reportedly there during the open portion of the shootaround. The team confirmed that Robinson was there earlier, even though reporters weren't able to see him. Chances are the sharpshooter had left before the shootaround was opened to the media.
While it's definitely positive that they were there in shootaround, it's important to remember that a shootaround is different than a full practice. How each player will fare in the intensity of a playoff game is unclear.
If they are able to play, all three competitors would surely suit up for this crucial game. Whether they will be limited in any way and how it will impact their performance on Wednesday remains to be seen.
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