BY SAM LACHOW
| Brooklyn Nets |
Breakdown |
Detroit Pistons |
| 22-25 | Record | 19-29 |
| 7-3 | Last 10 Games | 3-7 |
| 103.1 | Points scored per 100 possessions | 101.8 |
| 105.3 | Points allowed per 100 possessions | 105 |
| 93.9 | Possessions per game | 97.4 |
| 45.1% | Field goal percentage | 44.7% |
| 37.0% | Three-point percentage | 30.6% |
| 48.1% | Rebound percentage | 51.5% |
| 15.4% | Turnover percentage | 15.8% |
| Joe Johnson(15.6) | Top Scorer | Brandon Jennings (17.2) |
Tipoff: 7:30 P.M.
Projected starting lineup: Brandon Jennings, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Josh Smith, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond
Like the Brooklyn Nets, the Pistons went into the 2013-2014 season thinking big. They acquired point guard Brandon Jennings in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, and signed mercurial forward Josh Smith to a massive new contract.
Nope. Despite two wins in two tries against the Nets, the Pistons stand 10 games under .500, currently holding the 9th spot in the horrid Eastern Conference.
The Pistons beat up on smaller teams with their big man trio of Josh Smith, Greg Monroe and the up-and-coming Andre Drummond. Drummond is having a massive year; averaging almost 13 points and 13 rebounds per game as well as almost 2 blocks. Still, the Pistons have proven that a bunch of names can’t win many games alone (doesn’t that sound familiar?).
To beat the Pistons, you have to box out and ensure they don’t get easy dunks and putbacks. Besides their great rebounding ability, the Pistons offense is fairly stagnant. The Pistons are third to last in assists per game at only 15.3. The Pistons run a lot of isolation plays for Brandon Jennings, Josh Smith and Greg Monroe. The Pistons also rank as one of the worst 3-point shooting teams, shooting just 30 percent from deep.
Brandon Jennings has shot under 37% in his last 10 games, and this is a perfect game for Deron Williams to get his stroke back against a player who is not playing with a lot of confidence.
(Again, sound familiar?)
Rodney Stuckey has had two great games against the Nets this season. In two games against the Nets Stuckey has put up 27 points and 17 points, both in wins. Stuckey has also managed to shoot 17-33 in the two games he has played against the Nets, an incredibly efficient performance. Watch for him to put on another impressive show against the Nets tonight.
Required Viewing:
The Nets haven’t fared well in back-to-backs recently, but since they got to play a depleted Spurs team last night, the Nets should be ready to go. The last time the Nets played the Pistons, they trailed by as many as 20 points, and eventually cut the league to under 5.
