Two future faces of the league go head to head in an important game in the middle of March
After surrendering 19 “open” 3s to the Washington Wizards Thursday night, The Detroit Pistons can get a bounce-back win over MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
SGA’s value will be tested tonight without OKC’s second and third options. Detroit’s defense was uncharacteristically lifeless Thursday night. Detroit has been competing with top offenses since the turn of the calendar—they need another master class tonight.
Game Vitals
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
When: 7 p.m. EST
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons +4.5
Analysis
Individual matchups are just a piece of the puzzle to this beautiful team game we love, and we’re in for a treat tonight.
The best two players who wear #2 this year will go at it. Ausar Thompson will take the SGA assignment, while the brute Lu Dort will take Cade Cunningham. Both defenders pose challenges to these All-NBAers, but great players make it happen against the best. If they guard each other in the clutch, that’d be even more fun.
The Pistons’ defense has been near the best. They’ve been No. 2 since January 1, but the Thunder are No. 1 in that span. In fact, OKC is No. 1 for the entirety of this year. They’ve gotten it done with whoever laces up.
Chet Holmgren is resting tonight. He’s OKC’s top backline defender, and opponents shoot 40 percent with him at the basket. He hasn’t always been available this year. In the 39 straight games Holmgren missed with a pelvic injury, the Thunder remained the top defense , with 6-foot-6 Jalen Williams manning the backline along with Isaiah Hartenstein.
Jdub is out tonight as he nurtures his hip, but his versatile fly-around, active-hands style of defense is invaluable for this Thunder squad. Hartenstein mitigated Chet’s absence when he debuted. Rim-protecting and think-ahead passing are his game.
Detroit has to get back to their game after Thursday’s defeat. They gave up a ton of open looks, but is that a strategy they are looking to use by design Saturday night? Maybe there’s a lot of Thompson on SGA, and Detroit doubles off so so shooters like Dort and Kenrich Williams.
Yeah, Dort is making teams pay for this strategy now, but there’s a reason teams keep doing it and will certainly do it in the playoffs.
Aaron Wiggins is questionable with an illness, but he’s not a shooter you can confidently help off. The same goes for Isaiah Joe. It’ll mainly be on Thompson to show why he’s a premier defender and stick SGA. He’ll need to stay out of foul trouble, and that’s a tall ask against Shai.
Regardless of your position on the foul-bating conversation, it’s inarguable that putting opponents’ lockdown defenders in foul trouble is a positive thing (you’re going to shoot a lot of FTs when you lead the league in drives for three straight years).
Hopefully, Cade can do that to Dort. He’s getting close to a superstar whistle as of late (92% on 7.5 FTA since Feb 3rd) , and that whistle culminated in 21 FT attempts last game. Drawing fouls helps his efficiency, and seeing the ball through the hoop helps shotmaking overall. Deuce needs to knock down some triples, but he’s a big game player and will play his best against one of the league’s best players.
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (37-30)
Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Oklahoma City Thunder (54-12)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Hartenstein
Question of the Day
Which jersey number takes a 7-game series?
Team #2 – Cade Cunningham, SGA, Kawhi Leonard, Herb Jones, Deandre Ayton (6th man Cam Johnson)
vs
Team #0 – Dame Lillard, Tyrese Maxey, Christian Braun, Jayson Tatum, Jalen Duren (6th man Tyrese Haliburton)