The Detroit Pistons will play the second game of a back-to-back against the Washington Wizards tonight at Little Caesar’s Arena.
Both teams are fresh off losses and are headed towards a lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
The Pistons had a pathetic performance against the Trail Blazers as Portland’s starting backcourt outscored Detroit’s entire starting five.
Jerami Grant did have a nice bounce-back game after a couple of duds and newcomer Hamidou Diallo continues to look like a steal for the Pistons (more on that later).
This game won’t be one for casual fans or big ratings, but it does have some implications for the Pistons both in the standings and in their internal positional battles for future roster spots.
Here are three things to watch when the Detroit Pistons take on the Washington Wizards.
Detroit Pistons: Game vs. Wizards is crucial for the standings
This game against the Wizards could end up being very important for the Detroit Pistons. Not only are the Wizards one of the tanking teams Detroit is battling for the number one pick, but there are a couple of other games that could have impact.
While the Pistons are taking on the Wizards the Cleveland Cavaliers will be playing the 76ers and the Orlando Magic will be going up against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pistons are currently three games “ahead” of the Magic for the worst record in the Eastern Conference and the Cavaliers are right on the Magic’s heels.
If the Pistons win this one and both the other teams lose, they will be breathing down the Pistons’ neck, so this is a game that the Pistons don’t really want to win.
If Dwane Casey decided to sit Jerami Grant for any type of minor injury on the second game of a back-to-back, I would not be unhappy.
Detroit Pistons: How will Saddiq Bey and Saben Lee respond?
Rookies Saddiq Bey and Saben Lee combined for exactly one bucket against the Trail Blazers and finished with two points between them.
Bey missed all seven of his 3-point shots, which his a rarity for a guy who is making rookie history from behind the arc.
Lee has mostly been solid in the starting role but couldn’t find the range last night, so it will be interesting to see how the two rookies respond to this challenge.
Bey is a shooter, so he needs to have a short memory, as the Pistons rely on his long-range shooting to spread the floor.
Lee needs to focus on getting to the rim and setting up teammates, as he did have six assists against Portland.
I have a feeling Bey is going to respond to his worst night as a professional by bouncing back with a big game against the Wizards.
It’s been fairly smooth sailing for these two as far as their individual games are concerned so it will be interesting to see how they respond to difficulty.
Detroit Pistons: The rise of Hamidou Diallo
One guy who hasn’t been struggling is Hamidou Diallo, who has been fantastic in his three games since becoming a Piston.
He has scored 19 in back-to-back games off the bench and filled up the rest of the scorecard with rebounds, assists, blocked shots and steals.
He looks like a guy who is going to command a big raise in the offseason but that’s ok, as he can absolutely be part of the Pistons’ future core.
With Josh Jackson struggling mightily, I will be interested to see what Dwane Casey does with Diallo in terms of his role and minutes.
Jackson got the start last night after catching a DNP the game before, but he might not hold onto it long if Diallo keeps playing like this.
With Diallo, Bey, Stewart and Grant, the Pistons have the foundation of a versatile and elite defense that can switch all over the floor and defend just about anyone.
The Pistons obviously still need a big injection of talent, especially on the offensive end, but Diallo gives them another guy who fits Troy Weaver’s vision for what this team is going to be.
Can he keep it up against the Wizards? Will he be inserted into the starting lineup? We’ll have to wait and see.