Detroit Pistons take on the Boston Celtics. Series tied at 1-1.
After wrecking the Magic on Monday, the Detroit Pistons will start and finish a one-game road trip up to Boston to take on the Celtics.
The Celtics and Pistons are very close together in the the tight Eastern Conference, sitting at 19-15 and 19-16, respectively. The Pistons are tied for the eighth seed with Orlando, yet are only 2.5 games back of the 3rd seed.
Boston’s offense starts and ends with point guard Isaiah Thomas. He’s the catalyst for the team, averaging 20.9 points per game and 6.8 assists per game. The Celtics as a whole are a good offense, scoring just under 103 points per contest. Boston’s offense will have to make do tonight without Avery Bradley, who will miss tonight’s game due to a hip bruise. Bradley is second on the team in shot attempts and scoring and plays solid defense as well.
The Pistons have been a confusing team all season, and their recent slate of games supports that narrative. Detroit beat Miami just before Christmas, yet lost to the Hawks, Knicks and Pacers in their last six games. They’ve been inconsistent all season, leading to their place in the better than expected Eastern Conference.
Detroit has been led by Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond all season. Jackson leads the Pistons in scoring and in assists per game, and has certainly lived up to expectations of fans. Drummond looks to finally be an All-Star for the first time in his career, scoring 18.1 points per game and leading team in steals and blocks. Drummond also leads the NBA in rebounding.
These are the types of games that the Pistons will need to win if they are going to be a playoff team. So far, Detroit and Boston have split two games. will most certainly be in the mix in the East all season, as will the Pistons. When the season is over, these are the types of games you have to win.
Biggest Matchup – Reggie Jackson vs. Isaiah Thomas
Thomas and Jackson are both turning into great point guards. They can both score off the dribble and facilitate the offense. Both are the backbones of their teams as well. When Jackson is playing well and getting into the lane, the Pistons offense runs smoothly. If Jackson is off or struggling, so is Detroit. The Celtics are no different with Thomas. If the Pistons can slow down Isaiah Thomas, then Detroit will have a much better chance to win this game.
X Factor – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
In the Pistons’ win over the Celtics on Dec. 16, Caldwell-Pope scored 31 points on 10-16 shooting. He hit three three-pointers and did this against Avery Bradley. Bradley won’t be on the floor tonight, which should make Caldwell-Pope’s matchup more favorable. Whether its Marcus Smart or R.J. Hunter, Caldwell-Pope should be able to have another solid performance tonight.