After opening the preseason with a victory on Wednesday, the Detroit Pistons will visit the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EST.
The Detroit Pistons will conclude their two-game road trip on Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs. Tipoff from the AT&T Center is set for 8:30 p.m.
Once again, the game will not be televised. There won’t be a live stream provided either, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Pistons’ flagship station 97.1 FM The Ticket will carry the radio broadcast.
Detroit is coming off a 97-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Andre Drummond led all scorers with a 31-point, 16-rebound performance. In a game that featured 10 lead changes, Ish Smith‘s 3-pointer with 17.4 seconds remaining proved to be the dagger.
Dwane Casey’s offensive philosophy was apparent in the win. The ball moved constantly during half-court sets, they ran in transition, and took 37 triples on the night.
Twelve different Pistons saw action against the Thunder. Reggie Jackson and Jon Leuer were sidelined, as both are rehabilitating from injuries sustained last season. Blake Griffin was dressed but didn’t play.
Second-round draft pick Khyri Thomas was relegated to the bench as well, along with Keenan Evans and Reggie Hearn. I’m interested to see if Casey will play any of these three on Friday.
Thomas and Hearn are primarily shooting guards, while Evans ran the point in college. The Pistons are loaded at the two spot, and there’s only so many minutes to go around.
The Spurs, meanwhile, have been idle since Sunday, when they defeated the Miami Heat 104-100 in their preseason opener. But that outcome is completely overshadowed by a summer of change in San Antonio.
Manu Ginobili has retired. Tony Parker is in Charlotte. DeMar DeRozan is a Spur, and of course, Kawhi Leonard is in Toronto (as is Danny Green). For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the Spurs won’t have at least of these three players: Tim Duncan, Ginobili, or Parker.
It’s a new era in The Alamo. Rookie shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV impressed in Summer League with his play-making ability. DeRozan is one of the better offensive guards in the game. And LaMarcus Aldridge is coming off his best season with the Spurs.