The Detroit Pistons got off to a nice start, racing to a 3-0 record before hitting a wall in the form of the Indiana Pacers. They will look to get back into their winning ways later tonight, as they go up against the Phoenix Suns.
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[sc:NBA240banner ]Detroit’s hot start came to a screeching halt on Tuesday, as the Pistons lost to the Indiana Pacers, 94-82. The setback, however, fails to overshadow Andre Drummond’s awesome play that has him in the discussion of early MVP candidates.
Against the Pistons, Drummond posted monster numbers of 25 points and 29 rebounds. That’s the kind of beast Phoenix will have to deal with inside and given that the Suns are playing their second game in two nights, Tyson Chandler and company may not have the legs to contain a well-rested Drummond all throughout the contest. The 6-11 center leads Detroit with 20.3 points and 19.5 rebounds per game.
Drummond, of course, isn’t the only player on the Pistons’ roster. He should get help from his partner, Reggie Jackson. Jackson, who scored 20 points and dished out six dimes against the Pacers, is averaging 19.0 PPG and 5.5 APG. Speaking of Jackson, he is one-half of one of the best backcourt tandem in the league. His running mate, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is putting up 13.8 PPG.
One problem for
But if Detroit is going places this season, it would need its bench to start showing signs of life. Detroit’s backups are chipping in a measly average of 14.8 PPG, the worst in the NBA by a wide margin.
Thanks to a balanced offensive attack, the Suns crushed Sacramento on Wednesday, 118-97. Eric Bledsoe top scored for Phoenix, as he scored 19 points while dishing out eight dimes.
Bledsoe’s all-around brilliance appeared to have rubbed off on his teammates, as five other Suns scored in double digits, including Brandon Knight. Knight scored 17 points and made seven assists in the Sacramento game.
The backcourt tandem of Bledsoe and Knight is potent enough to counter Detroit’s duo of Jackson and Caldwell-Pope. In fact, Phoenix’s backcourt ranks among the best in scoring in the league, averaging 46.0 PPG. That said, Phoenix is more than just about Bledsoe and Knight.
For one, Phoenix’s roster is one of the deepest in the league as evidenced by the 39.2 PPG it gets from the bench. Against Sacramento, Alex Len and T.J Warren led Phoenix’s backups that scored 54 total points. Len scored 16 points, while Warren continues to challenge for P.J. Tucker’s starting gig, as he dropped 13 points in 27 minutes of action.
Len, however, will have to focus more on defense against Detroit. He’ll be the main backup of Tyson Chandler in stopping Drummond. That’s not going to be easy for sure, but the Suns could get Drummond into foul trouble early by challenging the big man inside. Phoenix is 12th in the NBA with 43.2 points in the paint per game.
Moreover, Chandler and Len must bring out all their tricks in the bag when it comes to boxing out. Detroit’s offense is being fed by its terrific job on the glass, as the Pistons haul down 53.3 RPG.
Arena, Phoenix
