The Detroit Pistons can even up their season with a W.
The Portland Trailblazers were among the few teams the Detroit Pistons had a smidge of success against last year, splitting the season series one apiece. Thankfully, these aren’t the same Pistons, but unfortunately (for those in Rip City), these are the same Blazers that dropped 61 games a season ago.
While the Pistons have the advantage in 2025, bottom-feeding tanking teams have been a thorn in the resurging Pistons’ side. They can’t take their foot off the gas because they’re favorites.
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -6.5
Analysis
The Detroit Pistons are 7-3 over their last 10, undefeated in the New Year, and have the opportunity to reach .500 on the season. The team is rolling. While Jaden Ivey is out for an extended period, Simone Fontecchio is set to return tonight after missing the previous three games. This matchup with the looking-ahead-to-the-draft Blazers is a game the Pistons cannot take for granted.
Detroit has lost three games to the tanking (or just bad) Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz . They came out particularly flat in the Jazz outing and couldn’t muster enough late to escape that hole. Start this one fast and pounce on one of the bottom-feeders.
Cade Cunningham’s electric play has removed the Pistons from the bottom-feeder distinction. The vets and JB Bickerstaff’s influence have made massive differences in attitude and culture, but everything starts and ends with 2. This build was going nowhere until Cade began approaching All-Star/All-NBA status.
He’s done that and then some. His 40-point showing against one of the NBA darlings, Anthony Edwards, only justified the All-Star buzz he’s getting across social media.
Tobias Harris is one of the veterans who came and changed the culture. I’ve been critical of him for his lack of efficiency and sometimes tough-to-watch offense. Since the game Ivey went out (including that one), Harris has been putting up 19 points, 9.7 boards, on a 68 TS%. The rebounding has been a plus all year, but the scoring is coming around.
The Trail Blazers don’t do a ton well, but they have dogs for 1-on-1 defenders. Cade will see a heavy dosage of Toumani Camara. Camara is a lengthy 6-foot-8 wing who guards opposing teams’ elite weapons. He’ll guard any position with some success.
Deni Avdija is another versatile defender the Blazers employ on talented wings. He can guard 2-4 and some 5s, depending on matchups. Pistons great and now Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has a lot of love for Avdija, but he’s denied the story that he claimed Avdija was the Blazers best player. Good, he’s a plus player on a bad team but not their best player.
That honor goes to Anfernee Simons or Jermai Grant, who’s out with a face contusion (Deandre Ayton should be in that convo, too. He’s probable tonight). Shaedon Sharpe is a raw bucket-getter, but his game needs some rounding out.
From the outside looking in, I had hoped 2023 3rd overall pick Scoot Henderson would take a second-year leap, but that hasn’t panned out yet. Small point guards take time to develop, so I won’t count him out yet.
The Pistons ‘23 and ‘24 lottery picks are finding their groove. Ausar Thompson (questionable with an illness) wows the world nightly with his animated-character-type bunnies. Even LeBron James took notice of him and twin last night.
Lebron James giving Ausar and Amen Thompson praise: “Cade Cunningham said it best. They aren’t like the rest of us. They different.”
Even LeBron can see the vision. pic.twitter.com/HhzIPk5lRT
— Mikey Talks Pistons (@mikeypistons) January 6, 2025
Ron Holland II balled out in December and continues to show a comfort level on the floor. You have to be excited about this wing unit’s potential. Holland and Thompson are gems that could get this team from “let’s just not be bad” to “we have two top 10ish wings around a top 5 point guard.”
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (17-18)
Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Tim Hardaway, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Portland Trailblazers (12-22)
Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Deandre Ayton
Question of the Game
Dominant Lions game last night! Gutsy performance from that defense.
Who would you want to see in Round 2?