The Detroit Pistons will be looking for their first win of the Summer League tonight vs. the New York Knicks and there are some great potential matchups in this one.
Both the Pistons and Knicks have Summer League squads loaded with talent, which will lead to some one-on-one battles that I am really looking forward to.
Many of these players will be featured in their team’s rotations when the games matter, so this one will have more of the feel of a regular season game.
The Knicks have been playing their guys heavy minutes so far in this Summer League, with six players getting most of the action.
Here are the matchups I can’t wait to watch.
Detroit Pistons Summer League: Sekou Doumbouya vs. Obi Toppin
Both Doumbouya and Toppin had disappointing seasons last year after not playing significant minutes or making much of an impact.
They are similar players in that they have good size, can defend but have some big limitations on offense that they are trying to overcome.
Doumbouya needs to keep defending well on the perimeter if he wants to earn minutes, and locking down Toppin would be a nice addition to his Summer League.
Both guys want to make plays on defense then get out in transition, and neither of them is much of a 3-point shooter, so look for both to help off each other to hunt down blocked shots off the ball.
With both players trying to earn minutes on their respective teams, expect a lot of activity and hustle on the defensive end.
Detroit Pistons Summer League: Luka Garza vs. Jericho Sims
We know Luka Garza can score (just ask his dad) but the real question is who he is going to defend in the NBA.
Garza looks to have slimmed down and improved his quickness this offseason, but he is still slow and will struggle to stay in front of athletic centers or switch on the perimeter pick-and-roll.
Jericho Sims will be a good test, as he is one of the most athletic centers in the Summer League, an explosive jumper who can get up and down the floor.
These are one of the types of guys that Garza needs to prove he can defend, though Sims is not a shooter or a guy who is going to step away from the hoop much.
Can Garza keep him off the boards? Can Garza keep up with him running the floor?
Of course, Garza should create some headaches for Sims as well, as he can step out and hit 3-point shots and will draw him out of the lane where he likes to be.
This is a matchup of contrasting styles and will be an great early test for Luka Garza.
Detroit Pistons Summer League: Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes vs. Miles McBride and Immanuel Quickley
Both teams feature talented young backcourts that will present matchup problems for each other.
Cunningham and Hayes have the size advantage over McBride and Quickley, so it will be interesting to see if the Pistons use more sets that utilize Cade in the post.
McBride is a very good on-the-ball defender so this will be a good challenge for the Pistons’ young guards.
It will also be interesting to see how Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes match up with them on the other end, as McBride and Quickly combined for 47 points in their win over the Lakers, hitting 7-of-12 of their 3-point shots.
The Pistons will have to play tight on the perimeter and try to keep the Knicks’ guards from getting into open space. They need to force McBride and Quickley to put the ball on the floor and not let them get easy looks from long range.
This is set to be the most interesting Summer League game so far for the Detroit Pistons and should produce some compelling matchups.