Detroit Pistons look to keep it going against Indiana Pacers
By David Topham
The Indiana Pacers (5-6) visit the Detroit Pistons (7-3) on Wednesday night in a Central Division showdown.
After 10 games, the Detroit Pistons (7-3) are tied for the fourth-most wins in the NBA and sit in second place in the Eastern conference. Their latest test will be a divisional matchup with the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
The Pacers are 5-6, an impressive start considering Myles Turner missed seven of those games. Victor Oladipo (23.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game) and Domantas Sabonis (13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds) – the two pieces Indiana got back for Paul George – are two of the biggest reasons why this team is exceeding preseason expectations.
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Detroit knows a thing or two about outperforming expectations. With over 12 percent of their regular season in the books, they’re one of the league’s biggest surprise stories. According to ESPN, the Pistons have played the third toughest schedule to this point, suggesting this hot start is more real than not. Power rankings around the league are starting to reflect that sentiment, as Rod Beard pointed out in the Detroit News on Monday.
The Pistons have all the opportunity in the world to keep this going. Tonight’s matchup with Indiana is the third of a five-game homestand, and their first of five straight against Eastern Conference teams with losing records (vs. Indiana, vs. Atlanta, vs. Miami, @ Milwaukee, @ Indiana).
Furthermore, the scheduling quirks of the NBA have more than tipped the scales in Detroit’s favor for tonight. Indiana lost to New Orleans at home last night, while Detroit has been off since Saturday. The Pistons are 3-0 this season on two or more days rest, while the Pacers are 1-2 on the second night of a back to back. Detroit is also 4-1 at home this season.
The key for Detroit will be slowing down an Indiana team that’s been scoring with ease so far. The Pacers score 110.5 points per game, fourth in the NBA, and have six players who average over 13 points per game.
On the injury front, Detroit will be without Jon Leuer for the third game in a row, while Stanley Johnson is also out with a hip issue, meaning the Pistons will use a different starting five for the first time this season. For Indiana, Sabonis, Glenn Robinson and Edmund Sumner won’t play.
Next: Pistons video playbook: Week 3
The Pacers and Pistons tip off at Little Caesars Arena at 7:00 p.m.