A matchup against the league’s highest-scoring team doesn’t seem like an ideal way to end a long losing streak.
The Detroit Pistons will carry a 12-game skid into Indianapolis on Friday when they face the Indiana Pacers.
The game will count toward the NBA in-season tournament. The Pacers lead East Group A with a 3-0 tournament record and have already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. The Pistons have lost all three of their in-season contests.
Indiana’s most recent tournament game came on Tuesday, when it survived a shootout with Atlanta, 157-152. The Pacers played the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday and lost to Toronto, 132-131.
Buddy Hield missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds. Otherwise, Hield has come alive after being inserted into the starting lineup.
Hield scored 24 points against the Hawks while making all six of his 3-point attempts. Hield racked up a season-high 31 points against the Raptors, making all five of his 2-point attempts and 7-of-12 3-point tries.
“It’s just freeing myself,” Hield said. “You know. Hats off to (coach Rick Carlisle) making the adjustment. That helped me a little bit. Helped me get more ready and locked in. The game gives you a lot of opportunities. You have to take advantage of it.”
Carlisle lamented the second quarter, when his team gave up 41 points to the Raptors. Though the Pacers’ 128.3 points and 50.7 percent shooting are league highs, they’re also giving up the most points in the league (126.4 per game).
“To start the game giving up 27 and then going to 41, it’s a good illustration of where we’re at,” Carlisle said. “We get off to a good start and there’s a tendency to exhale. We’ve got to learn from that.”
The Pistons haven’t played since Monday, when they lost to defending champion Denver 107-103 even though Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic was ejected in the first half.
Injuries have played a big role in the slide but Detroit seems to be getting healthier. Forward Isaiah Livers made his season debut against the Nuggets after recovering from a severe ankle sprain. He played 23 minutes and even though he struggled from the field (1-for-7), coach Monty Williams said he was sorely missed.
“His ability to stay in front of the ball is going to help us and his versatility is going to help us,” Williams said. “We just love his ability to space the floor, to play in point-five (taking a half-second to decide to shoot, pass or dribble). He’s a good passer. We’re happy to have that kind of size and versatility in the rotation.”
Williams even had Livers on the floor during crunch time.
“It means a lot,” Livers said. “It actually surprised me, but you stay ready. The one thing is I’ve got to get my legs back. You can do all the hooping on the side and running, but leg fatigue is a big thing. That was a good starter for me to get going and just feel the guys out.”
High-scoring wing Bojan Bogdanovic, who averaged 21.6 points last season, has been cleared for full contact. Bogdanovic hasn’t played this season due to a calf strain.
Center Jalen Duren, who is averaging a double-double, is practicing again after missing five games due to a right ankle sprain. He’ll be available to play Friday.
–Field Level Media