• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Pistons, Cavaliers battle for Central supremacy

Nov 19, 2008 - 11:22 AM Cleveland (9-2) at Detroit (7-3) 7:30 p.m. EST

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The Detroit Pistons have made the top of the Central Division their own over the past four seasons. The Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to take it away.

The Cavaliers will be looking to extend their lead in the Central when they face the Pistons on Wednesday.

Detroit has won the Central Division title in each of the last four seasons, with Cleveland playing runner-up the past three campaigns.

After knocking the Pistons out of the playoffs in 2007 and taking the eventual world champion Boston Celtics to the brink in June, the Cavaliers appear ready to move into the top spot.

Superstar LeBron James is once again leading the NBA in scoring, pouring in 30 points a game to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Unlike past seasons, James also has a pair of running mates in the backcourt duo of Mo Williams and Delonte West.

Williams, who came in during the offseason, is averaging 16 points and five assists while West, who came over during the 2007-08 campaign, is adding nearly 11 points per contest and connecting on 53 percent of his shots - 51 percent on 3-pointers.

James had 31 on Tuesday and Williams and West added 16 apiece to lead Cleveland to a 106-82 win over the New Jersey Nets. The Cavaliers have won eight straight.

The Pistons had a three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with a 104-86 loss at Phoenix. Detroit is still adjusting to having Allen Iverson on its roster, but the All-Star guard is averaging a team-leading 20.2 points since his arrival.