Detroit hosts struggling Jazz before West Coast road trip
The Detroit Pistons host the Utah Jazz tonight for their final home game of 2024 before they take off for a lengthy West Coast road trip to end the calendar year. Detroit’s upcoming road games feature the Phoenix Suns , LA Lakers , Sacramento Kings, and Denver Nuggets, all teams that will be competing to stay afloat in a crowded, competitive Western Conference.
If the Pistons would like boost their own play-in/playoff odds, winning games against teams that already have their eyes set on the 2025 NBA Draft will be vital. Enter the Utah Jazz , the Jazz currently sit at 5-20 and have lost eight of their last nine games, most of which have been by double digits.
Detroit narrowly beat the Miami Heat in OT earlier this week, but they’ve yet find a true winning cadence. If Detroit can take down Utah, and enter their road trip with a couple of Ws in their pocket, perhaps they use that newfound mojo to make some waves out West.
Game Vitals
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -4
Analysis
Unlike the last two years, where the Jazz found themselves oddly competitive through a third of the season (before ultimately pulling the plug to salvage a middling lottery pick), this year, they’ve fully embraced the tank.
They sit at or near the bottom of some major statistical categories, including Offensive Rating (24th), Defensive Rating (dead last), Net Rating (28th), Turnovers (dead last), and Assists to Turnover Ratio (dead last). Side note; If you’re surprised that there are teams out there that turn the ball over more than the Pistons, you’re not alone.
While these stats aren’t anything to write home about, they have players and some strengths that could bother Detroit. Utah lets it fly from three; they shoot nearly 40 attempts per game and have five rotation players (three starters) that hit the long ball at a 38% clip or better. This game could bode well for Lauri Markkanen, who’s currently averaging 18.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, especially if Isaiah Stewart (Detroit’s most switchy big man) does not play after sustaining a hyperextended left knee on Monday night. Stewart is listed as day-to-day, alongside Tobias Harris and Jaden Ivey.
Markkanen is a match-up nightmare for most teams, but he could be ultra-effective if left alone beyond the three-point line against the likes of Jalen Duren and Paul Reed. He’s also a mismatch down low against Detroit’s smaller forwards, so paying extra attention to Markkanen and sending help when needed could be crucial if Detroit’s going to end their 2024 home slate on a positive note.
For Detroit, it’d be great to see if they can continue to unleash Ausar Thompson, who’s coming off his best game of the season this past Monday (19 points, 9 boards, 4 steals). In the Miami game, Thompson was his typical menace-like self on defense, steady in transition, and even got a couple of jumpers to fall while shooting in rhythm.
Teams will continue to not guard Thompson from deep, nor should they, but he shouldn’t allow that to alter his decision-making in the half-court. He should find himself in some favorable match-ups against Utah’s not-so-fleet-of-foot frontcourt, who lack the speed to stay in front of him should he drive to the basket with intent.
Alongside Thompson, keep your eyes peeled on Malik Beasley, Cade Cunningham, and Tim Hardaway Jr.. Detroit’s top three point shooters have combined to net 8 threes per game at a 39% clip, and will be matched up against a Utah Jazz team that ranks in the bottom four of the league in team three point defense.
Projected Lineups
Detroit (11-16)
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Tim Hardaway Jr., Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Utah (5-20)
Collin Sexton, Keyonte George, John Collins, Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler
Question of the Day
Detroit’s end-of-game scenarios have been hard on the eyes, to say the least. Why have they been so ineffective when trying to close out a game?