Every team in the NBA has played at least three games, but only two, the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz, have yet to bank a win.
The Pistons have been competitive in all four, but fans aren’t trying to hear about moral victories after five straight years of futility and more promises it was finally going to change.
When you looked at the schedule before the season, this start was practically inevitable, but that hasn’t stopped fans from wondering if we are in for another long season of calculating lottery odds instead of wins.
The Knicks are up next, so if the Pistons lose this one against the 76ers, they will be looking at an 0-6 start before what would then be a must-win road game against the Nets. They’ll get their chance, as Philly will be shorthanded tonight without two of their stars.
Pistons vs. 76ers injury report: Will Joel Embiid play tonight?
The Pistons will be missing both Ausar Thompson and Bobi Klintman for the 5th-straight game and there is no timeline when either of them will return to action.
There was some positive news yesterday, as Christian Koloko, who also suffered from blood clots, was cleared by the league. The bad news is that it was more than a year later. The Pistons are hoping Ausar is closer to the Brandon Ingram timeline, which was six months, but there is no new information.
Detroit will get some luck, as both Joel Embiid and Paul George will miss tonight’s game, which gives the Pistons a fighting chance.
However, this is far from a gimme (no game is easy for Detroit), as the 76ers have competent backups in Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond. This will be a game where the Pistons’ bench will have to dominate, which means Malik Beasley and Simone Fontecchio hitting some shots.
It would also help if Tobias Harris would have his first good game of the season against his old team and the Philly fans, who are sure to give him a warm and loving welcome.
How to watch Pistons vs. 76ers
The game will tip-off in Philadelphia at 7:00 PM ET and you can watch on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Extra or listen on 950 AM.
There are also a multitude of streaming options. NBA League Pass is the best option if you are out of market or you can try a free trial at FUBOtv, which streams the FDSND coverage.