Tonight is the night
Well, it all comes down to this. I wish I could say I have even an iota of confidence that the Detroit Pistons will avoid setting the NBA’s single-season losing streak record tonight against the Brooklyn Nets . But I’d be lying. I have no confidence. It feels inevitable at this point.
Of course, the Pistons could win. Anything could happen. The Pistons should get starting center Jalen Duren back tonight. There is a good chance Killian Hayes is also available. Monty Williams seems primed to end the two-big lineups by bringing Isaiah Stewart off the bench. That’s good! But he also seems likely to start Isaiah Livers in his place. That would be bad! Livers, in conception, is a forward who can hit 3s and play quality team defense. In reality, of a team full of struggling players, Livers is struggling the most. He would be in the running for the worst performer in the NBA this season for a guy who has received his allotment of minutes. Hopefully, it all works out!
Assuming it doesn’t, and, again, that seems like a pretty safe assumption, then don’t expect any changes. Nobody is getting fired, and nobody is getting traded just because they finally set the record. Changes will happen, but they won’t be happening soon enough. They are in this mess because the organization didn’t react to the facts on the ground fast enough. No reason to expect that to change now.
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Bally Sports Detroit
Odds: Pistons +6.5
Projected Starters
Detroit Pistons (2-26)
Killian Hayes, Cade Cunningham, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Livers, Jalen Duren
Brooklyn Nets (13-15)
Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton