(Sports Network) - The first of many battles between Central Division rivals Cleveland and Detroit is on tap this evening at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Wednesday's showdown between the Cavs and Pistons is the first of four meetings during the regular season. Cleveland enters this series having won eight straight games and improved to 9-2 on the season following Tuesday's 106-82 victory over the New Jersey Nets at the Meadowlands.

Superstar LeBron James led the way with 31 points and eight rebounds while Delonte West had 16 points for the Cavs, who buried 10-of-17 from beyond the arc. Mo Williams added 16 points and six assists in a winning cause. James is averaging 33.8 points per game during the eight-game streak.

The Pistons just went 3-1 on a four-game road trip, but had their three-game winning streak halted with Sunday's 104-86 loss against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center.

Richard Hamilton led the way with 19 points for the Pistons, who are 7-3 on the year and got just nine points and seven assists from Allen Iverson. Rodney Stuckey had 12 points and Rasheed Wallace added 11 and nine boards in defeat. Iverson shot a season-worst 4-for-17 from the floor, and is averaging 20.2 points per game since being traded from the Denver Nuggets in a deal that sent Chauncey Billups out west.

Detroit went 3-1 against the Cavaliers a year ago and has won four of five and nine of the last 11 matchups in the series.

Cleveland is winless in its last three trips to Auburn Hills.