The Detroit Pistons will head to Charlotte tonight to take on the Hornets in a game between two of the NBA’s worst teams.
The Pistons will be shorthanded as usual, as they are already missing Cade Cunningham, and Jalen Duren will be joining him on the bench. Isaiah Stewart is also listed as questionable and sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic is day-to-day, so Detroit may be leaning heavily on it bench.
That bench got a bit of a boost with the return of Marvin Bagley III, who had one of his best all-around games as a Piston in the loss to Toronto, putting up 21 points and 18 boards in his first game back. He will likely find himself in the starting lineup tonight if both Beef Stew and Bogdanovic are out.
The Pistons have lost four in a row and have lately been finding new and improved ways to lose games in the final minutes.
The Hornets are headed in the opposite direction and have won four straight, putting some distance between themselves and the bottom three teams.
So where do the Detroit Pistons stand heading into Tankapalooza 2023?
Detroit Pistons lottery odds before game vs. Charlotte Hornets
The Detroit Pistons currently have the third-worst record in the league behind the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, who are both playing like they might not win another game.
The Pistons are 1.5 games ahead of Houston, who has lost nine in a row, and a full game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs, who have dropped an incredible 16 straight in their bid for Victor Wembanyama.
This would give the Pistons a maximum 14 percent chance at the number one pick and a 52.1 percent chance to remain in the top four, though they could drop at low as 7th. In fact, they have the highest odds of landing the 6th pick with a 26 percent chance.
Charlotte has the fourth-worst record in the league, so has a 12.5 percent chance at the number one pick. The Pistons play the Hornets two more times this season counting tonight, so a win for Charlotte would significantly increase the chances that the Detroit Pistons remain in the bottom three and secure maximum odds for the number one pick.
Tonight’s game is in Charlotte and will tip-off at 7:00 PM ET. You can watch on Bally Sports Detroit or listen on 97.1 FM The Ticket.