The Detroit Pistons will take on the Golden State Warriors at home tonight in a game that will be the biggest in years for Detroit.
You might not think that a team with a 4-10 record playing the NBA’s best team (13-2) is much to get excited about but these four wins have been different for Detroit.
The Pistons are younger and have played a brutal schedule so far, and still got to four wins faster than last season, a sign of the progress and development we’ve long wanted.
It’s been a long time since the Detroit Pistons were involved in a “big” game, but this one against the Warriors meets the criteria for a few reasons.
Detroit Pistons: The fans
The Detroit Pistons have been one of the worst teams in the NBA in terms of attendance since, well, forever.
Fans have checked out in Detroit for a variety of reasons, whether they be pandemic, financial or just plain apathy over a team that hasn’t been good in a long time.
Not much has changed this season, as the Pistons are still dead last in attendance in the NBA, drawing an average of just 12,178 fans per game, which is less than 60 percent capacity.
The Warriors are one of the biggest road draws in the league filling 96.5 percent of arenas away from home.
Stephen Curry is listed as day-to-day and may sit tonight, which would be a bummer for Pistons’ fans (though better for the Pistons chances of actually winning), but the current frontrunner for MVP is must-see TV at the moment.
The addition of Cade Cunningham and the Pistons’ restoration has a lot of fans buzzing, but that hasn’t translated to butts in seats yet, so let’s hope this game kicks off a boost in home attendance for Detroit.
The Detroit Pistons can’t lose in this one
This is game where the Pistons have nothing to lose but a ton to gain.
Detroit is currently 4-10, sitting in 14th in the Eastern Conference, though they have won 3-of-5 and are 4-5 in games that feature Cade Cunningham.
The Warriors have the best record in the NBA at 13-2, so no one expects the Pistons to win this game and many have probably written it off as a sure blowout.
There shouldn’t be much pressure on the young Pistons, which will hopefully result in them playing free and easy, making their open shots for once and getting a win at home.
A win against the NBA’s best team is the kind of confidence inspiring victory that could turn the Pistons’ season around, or at least keep them afloat during a brutal 9-game stretch in the schedule.
Even if the Detroit Pistons lose, their young guys are going to get the experience of taking on an elite team, and if they can even hang with them, their confidence will be collectively boosted.
Of course, the Pistons could just get blown out at home, which won’t be fun for anyone, but that is what is supposed to happen, so it won’t be the end of the world for a young team.
I think the Detroit Pistons are going to show up tonight for the home fans and give maximum effort, and if they could steal a win, who knows, it could change the outlook for the season.
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham vs. Stephen Curry
Cade Cunningham is at the age where he undoubtedly grew up imitating Curry on the playground, so this will be a huge matchup for the young Pistons’ point guard.
Cunningham is already showing maturity beyond his years and has already seized the role of leader of this young team.
What Curry is doing right now is putting him in the conversation as greatest point guard of all time and trying to slow him down will be the biggest challenge of the season for the Pistons’ two young guards.
Curry represents the type of guard that will give the Pistons trouble, as he quick enough to blow by their guards and if you sag at all he will destroy you with 3-point shots. Curry needs less time to get his shot off than anyone in the NBA, possibly in league history.
Cunningham and Killian Hayes will have to play him tight and rely on their help defenders to keep Curry from getting into the lane.
On the other end, the Detroit Pistons need to try and target Curry in the pick-and-roll and use their size to get closer to the basket. Cunningham should be able to push Curry around in the post and the only way to slow him down is to make him work on defense.
Cunningham is eager to show that he is ready to take the torch from Curry as the league’s next great point guard, but even slowing the MVP is going to be no easy task.
This is a matchup that could change the course of the Pistons’ season and help build their confidence, but it’s not going to be easy.