After an ugly loss at home to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, the Detroit Pistons look to rebound as they travel to take on the Dallas Mavericks.
On Sunday the Detroit Pistons loss to the Philadelphia 76ers was about as surprising a result as you will find in an NBA game this season. The Pistons came out with no energy or focus while the 76ers came to play. Losing to the 76ers 97-79 as the Pistons did on Sunday was a frustrating sight for Piston fans to see.
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Hopefully it was a wakeup call to a team that can’t afford to drop games vs far less talented teams in a highly competitive Eastern Conference.
They now look to get back on track as they play a struggling Dallas Mavericks team that is currently 6-18 this season. The Mavericks have struggled this season due to a combination of injuries and slumping veteran play.
Newly acquired Harrison Barnes leads the Mavericks in scoring with Dirk Nowitzki being hampered by injuries most of the season. Barnes is averaging 20.5 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field.
The Pistons have guys in Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris who can defend Barnes as stopping him will be key for the Pistons to come away with a win. For the Pistons, Andre Drummond has played well of late and this matchup looks to be a favorable one.
Drummond last 3 gms: 18.6 ppg, 20.6 rpg.
— Jake Chapman (@JakeChapmanOM) December 14, 2016
Last 4 gms v. DAL: 15.5 ppg, 19.25 rpg.
DAL 30th in NBA this season in rebound rate.
Nom nom nom.
Dallas has really struggled on the glass this season and Drummond has had great success against Dallas the past two seasons. Look for him to dominate the glass and get plenty of second chance opportunities tonight.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returns tonight after missing the last game against the Philadelphia 76ers with a right knee contusion. His defense, shot making, and energy was missed on Sunday and will be welcomed back tonight.
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Overall, this a game in which the Detroit Pistons are playing on two days rest against a team in Dallas that they are better and more rested than. While this is a road game, the Pistons need to take care of business vs weaker teams this season with the heavy competition in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.