Three keys to Detroit Pistons game vs. Denver Nuggets

The Detroit Pistons have lost two games in a row against some of the best teams of the Western Conference. Will tonight result in a different outcome?

The Detroit Pistons are coming off of a loss at Golden State, that felt almost inevitable. After getting blown out by the Mavericks, the Warriors were eager to get back on the right track, and did so shooting 62 percent from the field and 52 percent from three in a 121-114 victory over the Pistons.

The Denver Nuggets are coming off a 3-1 road trip, that ended in a blowout loss at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. The Nuggets allowed Bojan Bogdanovic to tally 35 points, and lost by a score of 124-88.

The last time the Pistons and Nuggets played, the Pistons won in blowout fashion, but the Nuggets were playing without guards Jamal Murray and Gary Harris, as well as without forward Paul Millsap. The Nuggets have been nearly unbeatable in Denver with a 30-6 record, tied for the best in the league with the Bucks.

Here are three keys to tonight’s game, that could give the Pistons the season sweep.

Dominate inside

 In the last contest between these teams, Andre Drummond got the best of Nikola Jokic, and put 27 points and 12 rebounds on his head in only 26 minutes of play.

Blake Griffin and Drummond shot a combined 18 of 22 (81 percent) from the field, and both received some valuable rest, sitting the fourth quarter. After struggling a bit since the All-Star break, Griffin has looked a lot more comfortable on the offensive end, looking to drive more instead of settling for out of rhythm and well-contested threes.

The Nuggets have had recent success staggering Millsap’s minutes with Jokic and Mason Plumlee, but this group is not known for their defensive capabilities. Millsap is still a solid defender, but their front court is something that the Pistons need to attack on the offensive end.

Close out on shooters

Early on this season, the Pistons numbers displayed that they were one of the best in the league at defending the three point line.

Lately, teams have been killing the Pistons with open three point attempts, often coming after an offensive rebound and a kick out. For the Pistons to beat the Nuggets, they need to defend the three point line a lot better than they have been lately.

Murray, Harris and Millsap are all shooters coming back into their lineup, and the Pistons need to make sure that they don’t underestimate their shooting ability. If Griffin decides that he wants to stare down Millsap from the paint on all of his three point attempts instead of closing out, it could be a long night.

Reggie Jackson pick and roll, early and often

Jackson was a non-factor against the Warriors.

That is no exaggeration, aside from a few points in the second quarter, he didn’t make a mark on the game, playing only 20 minutes. The Pistons would be best off running a lot of pick and roll with Jackson and Drummond.

Coach Dwane Casey has been choosing to stay with Ish Smith at the end of games quite often, but if Jackson can get going early, he could find his name called down the stretch. Playing “Blake-ball” in isolation is going to difficult to do, considering Millsap is still a good defender. The 1-5 pick and roll needs to be utilized a lot more tonight if the Pistons want a chance to come out on top.

If the Detroit Pistons execute these keys to the game, they could find themselves stealing one from the second seed in the Western Conference.