Playing some of the cream-of-the-crop teams in the NBA over the past two weeks, the Detroit Pistons finally get some schedule relief.
Happy Holidays.
In a time filled with happiness and cheer, the Detroit Pistons have experienced anything but in this joyous holiday season. Playing the cream-of-the-crop of the NBA with a combined since the start of December, the Pistons have been handed a figurative “lump of coal” from the league.
The Pistons, losers of six straight games, have had arguably the toughest December schedule in the entire league in which opponents have a combined record of 104-53.
However, the Pistons’ true gift comes this week.
Although they play against the 5th-seed Denver Nuggets at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, the Nuggets will be without NBA Analytics darling, Nikola Jokic. Then the Pistons’ schedule lightens up substantially. Detroit plays four of their next five games following the Nuggets matchup against current lottery-projected teams before another tough stretch to ring in the new year.
With the easier schedule, the Pistons have a chance to get Jon Leuer back from his sprained ankle injury. Leuer can provide some much needed spacing and rebounding to a team that is in dire need of a big man who can stretch the floor.
Also, these next few games can give guys like Stanley Johnson and Langston Galloway a chance to figure themselves out. Johnson has looked horrendous over the tough stretch and some are questioning his fit in the current Pistons’ rotation. Sources around the NBA have attributed the lack of production and effort on the defensive end to a back injury and a hip flexor injury that spans back to earlier in the season.
Regardless, the six games give the Pistons a chance to gain some confidence going into 2018.
The Pistons next six games are as follows: Denver Nuggets, at Atlanta Hawks, at Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, at Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks.