How the Detroit Pistons can beat the Golden State Warriors

The Detroit Pistons have only won 10 games this season, but one of them was against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

The Pistons got it done in the first meeting behind a full team effort in which every player in their starting five scored at least 15 points and Saddiq Bey went off for 28 on 4-of-9 shooting from behind the arc.

A lot has changed since then, as Cade Cunningham is out for the season, Bey has been in an extended shooting slump (though there are signs he’s breaking out of it) and Killian Hayes has been moved to the starting lineup.

The Pistons will also be missing Marvin Bagley III with a hand injury, but the Warriors will be without six players themselves, including Stephen Curry, so injuries aren’t an excuse in this one.

Can the Detroit Pistons hand the Warriors their third home loss of the season? Here are five quick keys to the game.

Detroit Pistons vs. Golden State Warriors: 5 keys to the game

1. Saddiq Bey needs to have a big game

Bey had 28 in the first meeting and in this game the Warriors will be missing Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins, so Bey should have an advantage at forward. Bey has been up and down this season (mostly down) but the Pistons will need him to step up and have a big scoring night against the Warriors’ reserves.

2. The Pistons need to slow one of Thompson or Poole

One of Klay Thompson or Jordan Poole have led the Warriors in scoring in eight of their last nine games, so if the Pistons can slow one of them, they will have a chance. Killian Hayes is going to have to get in Poole’s chest and make things difficult for him. The Pistons need to stay at home and not help off the shooters, especially if that shooter is Thompson, who scored 54 points in the last game. Hamidou Diallo is coming off one of his best games of the season, and we may see more of him tonight, as his athleticism could give Thompson trouble. I’d love to see Diallo embrace this challenge and have a big night on defense.

3.  Pass the ball and take care of it

The Warriors are one of the best passing teams in the league, something the Pistons could learn from, as they are one of the worst. If Detroit has more turnovers than assists, as they did in the last game against Portland, they have no chance, as the Warriors will just carve them up and feast in transition.

4. Decisively win the battle of the boards

The Warriors don’t have a real center in their rotation right now, though Kevon Looney certainly plays bigger than his size. Isaiah Stewart had one of his best games of the season against the Warriors and the Pistons will need him and Jalen Duren to completely dominate the boards. If Duren can grab 5-6 offensive rebounds and turn them into easy points, it could offset some of the Pistons offensive troubles.

5. Run

Detroit is just 28th in the league in fast-break points per game, mostly because they never get any stops and it is hard to run when you are pulling the ball out of the net. But they need to push the pace in this one, as the Warriors are shorthanded and coming off a double-overtime game against the Hawks in which they had to expend a lot of energy. The Pistons need to take advantage and push the ball as much as possible. Of course, this is contingent on getting stops, so they can’t run unless they can slow the Warriors’ offense.