Detroit Pistons: 3 things to watch in Tankapalooza vs. Cavaliers

The Detroit Pistons will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in what can only be called “Tankapalooza 2021.”

The two teams have been battling it out for the bottom of the Eastern Conference for most of the season, and though both have a promising young core, neither team is actively trying to win.

They are both coming off losses and the Cavs have won just three of their last ten games, one worse than the Pistons.

There are still plenty of reasons to watch. Saddiq Bey is making a run at NBA history and hopes to have a big night from behind the arc.

Killian Hayes should be back in the starting lineup looking to build on his exciting play since returning from injury.

And the Detroit Pistons will be without seven players due to “injury,” most of them veterans, so we should see a young and exciting lineup vs. the Cavs.

Here are three things to watch as the Pistons try to keep the tank going tonight in Little Caesar’s Arena.

Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Who will start at power forward?

I wrote about what the Detroit Pistons’ starting lineup might look like against the Cavs and I’d say that four of the five spots are accounted for.

Hayes is likely to start at point guard, Josh Jackson at the two and Saddiq Bey at small forward. With Mason Plumlee out, Isaiah Stewart will definitely start at center.

Both Jerami Grant and Sekou Doumbouya are out for this one, so the question is who is going to start at power forward?

The most logical answer is Tyler Cook, who is really the only one left who plays the position. But the Pistons could also go small, put Frank Jackson as the starting two-guard and move both Josh Jackson and Bey up a position.

I would really love to see some of these small-ball lineups as the season winds down, as they could be weapons for the Detroit Pistons in the future.

Even if Tyler Cook starts, we should see some interesting lineups against the Cavaliers.