The Detroit Pistons will be looking for revenge tonight on the road against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets defeated the Pistons on a buzzer beater in their first meeting, a game Detroit probably feels like they should have won.
The Pistons finally had a couple of days off after a busy schedule that saw them play five games in seven days.
Detroit starts the day as the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference and would love to inch closer to .500 after missing a chance to get there against the Bulls.
Both teams will be shorthanded again, but the Pistons did get some positive news about wing Ausar Thompson.
Pistons injuries vs. Hornets: Ausar Thompson update
Thompson has been upgraded to doubtful for tonight’s game against Charlotte, so he isn’t likely to play, but it’s a good sign that he’s getting close.
Thompson has reportedly been getting some run in with the Motor City Cruise, one of the benefits of having them nearby, as the coaches can watch his progress and make sure he’s 100 percent before unleashing him on the league.
The Pistons are going to have a lot of lineup options when Thompson does return, so it will be interesting to see what coach Bickerstaff does. Thompson will hopefully plug some of the holes in Detroit’s perimeter defense.
Bobi Klintman will also be out for the Pistons with a mysterious calf injury that we’ve gotten next to no information about in typical Pistons’ fashion.
The Hornets have Miles Bridges and Tre Mann listed as probable for tonight’s game. DaQuan Jeffries, Nick Richards and Mark Williams are all ruled out.
This leaves the Hornets very thin at center, where they will have to run veteran Taj Gibson and piecemeal something together with the rest of their forwards.
This is a game that Jalen Duren has to dominate. He has no one to stop him down low, so he should feast on the boards and make himself available for lobs. With little or no rim protection, Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey should make it a point to get into the lane and play inside out.
Since the Hornets will be playing small, the Pistons will have to cover the 3-point line, something they haven’t done well of late, especially their bigs. Even though the Hornets are shorthanded, it might work in their favor, as the Pistons don’t match up well with teams that play a five out offense.
How to watch Pistons vs. Hornets
A nationally televised game! Tonight’s 7:00 PM ET tip off will be aired on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Extra as well as NBA TV, one of four “nationally” televised games the Pistons will have this year.
You can listen in ALT 98.7 and can find all of your streaming options here.
The Pistons hope to put some more distance between themselves and Charlotte and establish themselves as the best up and coming team in the East.