The Detroit Pistons host the Washington Wizards in a key matchup Thursday with playoff positioning on the line. The odds are not in the Pistons’ favor but a win over the Wizards could help.
The Pistons have their work cut out for them to end the season on a positive note. A win Thursday in Detroit could go a long way.
The Wizards have had Pistons’ Head Coach, Stan Van Gundy’s number this season; winning the three previous matchups. However, this is the first game between these two teams since the Blake Griffin trade.
Griffin did not play in the two games the Wizards played against his former Clippers this season.
Playoff Outlook
The Pistons (34-40) are coming off of a 112-106 win over the Lakers on Monday. They are now five games out of the playoffs with eight games remaining in the regular season.
They hope to catch the Bucks (39-35) or Heat (40-35) but will need a lot of help just to squeak into the eighth seed.
The Wizards (41-33) are 5-5 in their last 10 games but have a tough schedule remaining to fend off the lower seeds for their spot in sixth. They still have games in Houston, in Cleveland, and in Washington hosting the Celtics.
Thursday’s Matchups
The return of Reggie Jackson has improved the look of this Pistons team from the one fans were used to early in the month of March.
In four games played, the lineup of Jackson, Griffin, Andre Drummond, Stanley Johnson and Reggie Bullock is averaging 19 points in eight minutes per game. The Pistons are 3-1 in those games.
Jackson had been on a minute restriction but Van Gundy has deviated from that. Jackson scored 20 points in 28 minutes against the Lakers Monday night.
Jackson and Ish Smith may luck out if the Wizards’ John Wall is able to play. Candace Buckner of the Washington Post reported it being a possibility:
As far as the most important part of Brooks’ update re: Wall (that he’ll be listed as “questionable” vs Detroit) later on today the team will release its active list.
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) March 29, 2018
BUT there likely won’t be an update on if Wall is playing tonight until it’s close to game time. https://t.co/jliDSQvrCc
With or without Wall, guard Bradley Beal has played great this season. Beal is averaging 22.9 points this season.
Thursday’s game will feature matchups between young up-and-coming wing players. The Pistons’ Bullock and Johnson will face off against the Wizards’ Otto Porter Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr.
Griffin and Drummond will do battle with the likes of Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat. Morris and Gortat average just 11 and eight points respectively this season.
Tipoff on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit is at 7 PM EST.