Detroit Pistons: 3 things to watch as the young Pistons take on the Hornets
The Detroit Pistons will take a six game road losing streak into Charlotte tonight to take on the Hornets.
The Hornets are clinging to the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference while the Pistons are currently tied for the second-worst record in the NBA.
After the Magic lost their last game, the Pistons are now tied with Orlando, three games behind the Houston Rockets for the worst record in the league with just a half game separating Detroit from the Timberwolves.
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Detroit has just nine games left to play and will have two crucial games against the Magic and Timberwolves that could decide their lottery odds.
Detroit is coming off an exciting loss to the Dallas Mavericks in which they sat nearly every veteran and got big contributions from Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes, who are getting fans excited for the future.
Here are three things to watch tonight as the Pistons try to rack up another competitive loss.
Detroit Pistons: Another night for the youth
Depending on the status of Killian Hayes for this one, the Pistons will once again have three rookies in the starting five to go along with 20-year-old Sekou Doumbouya and Josh Jackson, who is the veteran of the group at the ripe old age of 24-years-old.
Detroit has run the second-youngest starting five this season next to the Thunder, who currently look like a glorified high school All-Star team they are so young.
Saddiq Bey is still gunning for the All-Time rookie record for made 3-pointers, though he is likely to come up a bit short with ten fewer games to get it done this season.
Hayes is trying to build confidence off his passing, though it would be nice to see him shoot more, and Beef Stew just continues to put up huge numbers and look like the biggest steal from last year’s draft.
The Detroit Pistons really can’t lose in these games, as the L’s are not as important as the development these rookies are getting playing big minutes late in the season.
Jerami Grant thinks this team will “do something big” next season and with the right offseason additions and some luck in the draft, he’ll be right.