Pistons welcome Bulls to LCA for the first time

A long-time rival of the Detroit Pistons (29-36) will make their first visit to Little Caesars Arena on Friday night.  The Chicago Bulls (22-42) are in town.  One team has their sights set on the future, while the other is trying to salvage what’s left of this season.

For two teams that are headed in very different directions, the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls are on the outside looking in.

A total of 6.5 games separate Detroit from Chicago.  Tell that to somebody a month ago, and they’d surely laugh in your face.

But that’s where the Pistons currently stand.  They’ll have a chance to distance themselves when they host the Bulls on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena.  Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm on Fox Sports Detroit.

Both clubs have struggled since the All-Star break.  Detroit is 1-7 and has lost four in a row.  Chicago is 2-5, but has only won four games since Jan. 20.  This may be the Pistons’ best chance to get back in the win column.  Their next three games (all on the road) are against Western Conference playoff teams.

It’s also one of the worst-kept secrets that the Bulls are tanking.  The NBA even issued a warning to the organization on Tuesday.  Chicago has been resting Robin Lopez and Justin Holiday, both of whom are healthy.

Whether or not the Bulls will oblige remains to be seen.  But for the Pistons, this game will serve as another opportunity to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

If Lopez sits yet again, Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond should have a field day in the paint.  In his last three games, Griffin is averaging 29.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 50 percent from the floor.  His 3-point percentage in that span is a whopping 53 percent.

Chicago is one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, allowing 110.2 points per 100 possessions.  The last time they even held a team to under 100 points was back on Jan. 20.  That night, they defeated the Atlanta Hawks 113-97.

The Bulls may be building towards the future.  But rookie power forward Lauri Markkanen has made some noise here in the present, becoming the fastest player in NBA history to make 100 3-pointers.

Markkanen’s 3-point shooting has opened up the lane for his teammates.  This has given explosive guards such as Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn more space to work with.

The Pistons have trouble defending 3-point shooters, allowing their opponents to hit 37 percent of their shots from behind the long line.  Only three teams yield higher percentages on defense.  So keep an eye out for the rookie from Finland.

Detroit can, and should, win this game.  But that was the case last Friday when they faced the Orlando Magic.  You never know what you’re going to get from the Pistons.  Or from the Bulls, for that matter.

Which makes this game worth tuning in for.