The Detroit Pistons will take on the Sacramento Kings in a game that will not get huge ratings but still has plenty to watch for Detroit.
The tank is still going as planned as Detroit has the third-worst record in the NBA, which still gives them maximum odds to stay in the top-four and to hopefully land the number one pick overall.
But that battle is largely out of their hands, as there are several other teams involved, so the Pistons can only play their games and see what happens.
I am more interested in the internal battles for minutes, future roster positions and roles for next season.
Here are three things to watch when the Pistons and Kings go head to head at the Golden 1 Center.
Detroit Pistons: The growth of Killian Hayes
Killian Hayes has played two games since returning from injury but sat the last one out as it was the second game of a back-to-back.
I doubt Hayes will play any back-to-backs for the remainder of the season, as there is no reason to push him and risk another injury.
It may have only been two games, but Hayes already looks better than he did early in the season, so hopefully some time on the bench did him some good.
He has flashed great instincts, a high basketball I.Q. and potentially elite passing, which is exactly what you want to see from a young point guard still trying to adjust to the NBA.
The Sacramento Kings don’t play defense at all, so this is a good game for Hayes to break out and show what he can do.
Hopefully, he will play 25 minutes and fill the scorecard against the Kings who don’t really have anyone who can stop him on the perimeter.
The growth of Killian Hayes is something all fans of the Detroit Pistons will be watching over these last 21 games.
Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bey is chasing history
Saddiq Bey has been making history from the 3-point line all season.
Last game he broke the Pistons’ rookie record for 3-pointers in a season and also tied the NBA record with four games with six or more made from behind the arc.
Now that he has the Pistons’ rookie record, Bey will gun for the All-Time record for 3-pointers for a rookie.
That number is 187 and Bey currently has 111, so he would need to make 3.6 per game from behind the arc on average to get there.
It won’t be easy, but it is very possible.
It is also possible that Bey will have another big night, hit six or more and break that All-Time rookie record as well.
Saddiq Bey is having a great season by any measure and it would be nice for him to get his name into the history books, at least for a few seasons until some other rookie comes along and breaks it which is almost sure to happen with the increased volume from 3-point range.
Saddiq Bey is leading all rookies in 3-point shots and Isaiah Stewart leads all rookies in rebounding and blocked shots, so the Pistons have a solid foundation to build around for the future.
Then you have the possibility of adding another top-five pick from a loaded draft and Pistons’ fans have every reason to be excited.
Detroit Pistons: The battle of the backup point guards
The most interesting and competitive positional battle for the Detroit Pistons is at point guard.
Now that Killian Hayes has returned, the Pistons have at least three, maybe four guys battling for minutes, depending on how you view Frank Jackson.
Saben Lee and Dennis Smith Jr. have both played well at times but neither of them has really seized the moment.
It’s possible that the Detroit Pistons could bring both Lee and Smith Jr. back next season and run with three point guards, and also possible that one of them ends up in the G-League where they can get more development.
With only 21 games remaining, it would be nice to see Dwane Casey make a decision and go with two guys for the rest of the season.
It’s not really helping any of them to play 12-15 minutes a game, so pick the guy along with Killian Hayes that you think will be with the team next season and see what he can do.
Of course, with Hayes on a minutes’ limitation, it is likely that we will see this “point guard by committee” approach for the rest of the season, but I for one would like to see more of Saben Lee, as I feel he has a better chance of a future with this team than Dennis Smith Jr.
These battles will be fun to watch, so even though the Detroit Pistons aren’t winning many games, there is still plenty of reason to tune in against the Kings.