Portland will be riding high in this matchup after a road win against the Bucks. They were pests in that game. Playing a hard-nosed, physical game that made it challenging for the Bucks to keep their footing. Of course, the Bucks didn’t exactly play at their peak level. Giannis was missing layups, Dame seemed out of it, and it took AJ Green having a career night to keep them remotely competitive. That won’t be the same story in tonight’s matchup. The Pistons are on the hunt, and a game like this is a must-win!
It’s hard to say what Portland will look like tonight. They don’t have much incentive to win this year, but the team still has talent. It doesn’t always click, but it’s there. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara have been excellent defensively, as Avdija continues to to grow his role on offense. The pair have done wonders covering the team as Grant continues to be absent. However, they’ll face a tough challenge tonight in Cade Cunningham.
Cade has been on a warpath lately. Showing he is one of the best guards in the East. If he gets onto one of the guards, Portland will struggle to contain him on the switch. If Camara and Avdija can fight over screens and stay glued to him, they can slow him down.
This game may come down to the bigs, though. Portland's three primary bigs will give them a distinct advantage down low. Clingan, Ayton, and Williams will also have a strong advantage down low against Duren while being solid at protecting the paint on the other end of the court.
Overall, this game will depend on Portland’s ability to score. They’ve been better lately, but they’ve relied too heavily on the three-pointer in the past. They'll have a great chance to win this one if they can push the ball in transition, attack the offensive glass, and enter the interior.
However, I’m still skeptical that they’ll be able to do all this again down the road. Cade is the most challenging part of this. He’s been so good, and the Portland guards have not been great on defense. I think the Pistons will be able to get the matchup they want with Cade and punish this weak Portland backcourt.
The Pistons remain among the most fun young rising teams in the East. They are 17-18, placing them 9th in the East. Despite their record being below 500, they’ve been on a tear lately. They’ve won seven of their last ten games. Unfortunately, they lost Jaden Ivey to a leg injury last week, damaging this fun season.
Ivey will be a tough loss because he’s proven to be Detroit's most reliable second option. He averaged 17 points a game on solid shooting splits. Now that he’s most likely done for the season, we’ll have to see someone else fill the void.
On a more positive note, Cade Cunningham is having himself a season. He shows us what made him the number-one pick and how elite he is. He’ll likely be trending towards his first all-star appearance this year, with 24 points, nearly 10 assists, and 7 rebounds a game, with great shooting numbers. He’s taken over as this roster's undisputed leader, which has been a fantastic turnaround for this team.
Overall, this matchup against Portland is good but not great for the Pistons. Cade will likely be able to slice through the guards tonight, but Portland will probably toss their wings at him. He’ll have to beat Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija today, which might be challenging. Cade has done well against strong defenses in the past, but it might be more difficult without Ivey tonight.
Beyond Cade, the rest of the team is relatively neutral compared to Portland. Harris will likely have to step up tonight in the scoring department, especially with Jerami Grant out. If he can be the clear secondary scoring option, they'll likely win tonight. However, Portland can be feisty. Coming off a road win against the Bucks the other night, they’ll feel good coming into this one.
The Pistons will need to prevent the Blazers from getting into transition. They should be fine if they can avoid live ball turnovers and secure the defensive rebounds at a high rate. I think they’ll do fine, especially at home. As long as Detroit plays tight basketball, they won’t allow Portland to get into this one.
Blazers Injuries:
Deandre Ayton Probable
Matisse Thybulle Out
Jerami Grant Out
Pistons Injuries:
Ausar Thompson Questionable
Jaden Ivey Out
Spread: +6.5 POR (-115) / -6.5 DET (-105)
Total Points: 224.5
Moneyline: POR (+205) / DET (-250)
Cade Cunningham Over 25.5 Points (-115)
Deandre Ayton Double Double Yes (+110)
Deni Avdija Under 7.5 Rebounds (-135)
Jalen Duren 2+ Blocks (+175)