The Detroit Pistons will debut their new-look starting lineup in Atlanta tonight as they face the Hawks in the regular season opener.
Along with the excitement, anticipation and hope that comes with the start of a brand new season, there are some key things to focus in on as the Pistons and Hawks both try to get out of the gate on a positive note.
Reggie Jackson will get an early test as he goes up against Jeff Teague, who has become one of the better point guards in the Eastern Conference. Teague was an integral part of the success of a Hawks team which made it all the way to the conference finals last season. If Jackson can get the better of Teague tonight it would be an encouraging start to a season for Jackson that will undoubtedly be filled with expectations.
Jackson and Teague squared off just once last season during Jackson’s 27 games with Detroit. In that game, Jackson led the Pistons to a 105-95 win, scoring 12 points and dishing out 11 assists with a plus/minus of +16, which was a game high. Teague struggled, posting a line of 9 points, 4 assists and a plus/minus of -11. If Jackson can win his match-up by this wide of a margin again, the Pistons will be in good shape.
Another situation to watch is the allocation of minutes between Stanley Johnson and Marcus Morris. Morris will start, but how many minutes Johnson plays will be indicative of exactly how much he has impressed Stan Van Gundy this off-season.
It looks like Kent Bazemore will start at small forward for the Hawks, so regardless of whether Johnson or Morris is on the floor, the Pistons should have the advantage at that position. Bazemore is talented, but he is undersized for a small forward and will have trouble defending the size and strength of the his Detroit counterparts.
I’m also interested to see how Ersan Ilyasova looks against Paul Millsap. Other than his history of injury, defensive ability has been the main concern with Ilyasova, and he’ll definitely be tested by Millsap who can knock down threes as well as any stretch four in the league and also score on the block effectively.
Specific players and match-ups aside, I’m excited to see how this Pistons team looks and plays together in a game that counts. There are a lot of fans out there who will turn on the TV tonight and say – probably more than once – “who is that!?” Hopefully their first impression is a good one.
Starting Lineups:
Pistons: Jackson, Caldwell-Pope, Morris, Ilyasova, Drummond
Hawks: Teague, Korver, Bazemore, Millsap, Horford
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