After a drawn-out late-game comeback attempt, the Detroit Pistons will be in another rock fight vs the Miami Heat.
After cruising to 13 straight wins, Detroit has dropped two in a row to quality Eastern Conference teams. Orlando and Boston do it in different ways, and so do the Heat.
A lot has been made about the rotation. We’re in game 20 of 82 with new faces joining the fold. No coach is perfect, but JB Bickerstaff deserves some time to figure this thing out.
Game vitals
When: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Kiseya Center, Miami, Florida
How: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons +3.5
The last two Ls have come at the end. Detroit hasn’t been blitzed; they’ve been in striking distance. Another close game could be on the horizon.
Miami and Detroit have traded game winners over the last few years. Bam Adebayo drilled a top-of-the-key 3 to send Pistons fans home in disarray in 2024, and Cade Cunningham got redemption, nailing a 25-foot bomb over Adebayo on national TV last season.
These teams play each other close, and now they’re two of the best teams in the conference, like 2005 all over again. The Pistons are on top of the East, and Miami slots in at the three seed. The Heat are winners of 6 in a row, sporting the 13th-ranked offense and No. 2 defense, hence another rock fight could be on the way tonight.
The defensive portion of the Heat’s makeup stays intact, but their approach on the offensive end has been drastically different. After years of spamming pick-and-rolls and dribble-hand-offs, Miami has shifted to a free-flowing isolation and space-based offense.
Miami runs on-ball screens fewer than anyone in the league. And it’s not by a little bit; they’ve practically scribbled out those playtypes. The goal of this offense is to spread out defenses and attack whenever possible. These aren’t the James Harden isolations; they’re created through ball movement and quick decision-making.
Tyler Herro and Norman Powell lead the dance for Miami. The two haven’t played a bunch together as Herro made his season debut earlier this week. Jamie Jaquez Jr. (groin; questionable) is the lead driver on the spaced-out Heat. His resurgence is encouraging because it was gloomy for him last year.
With his slump overall and all the bodies in the lineup, Ron Hollad hasn’t had a very fun last few weeks as a scorer. If Jaden Ivey is out because this is a back-to-back, it would be encouraging to see Holland string together a solid offensive performance. He always brings needed activity and aggression defensively.
I didn’t love Jalen Duren’s usage against the Magic. The last time he took fewer than 10 shots was against that same Magic team. This trend shouldn’t continue in Miami. Kel’el Ware should see plenty of run against Duren. While Ware has dominated the glass, Duren should still be able to go through his chest, scoring buckets and drawing fouls.
Due to the new rotation patterns, we’ve seen fewer Daniss Jenkins and fewer Stew plus Duren minutes. Those young bigs together were one of the driving forces of the streak. They’re figuring things out, but JBB stumbled upon something that worked in Tobias Harris’ absence. It would be a shame if that were discontinued.
Jenkins is on a two-way deal and isn’t the priority Holland or Ivey is. I understand that, but I can’t say I don’t miss Jenkins’ risky passing and constant energy on the floor. Hopefully, 8 minutes a game isn’t his reality.
The star of the whole thing has game up short in the clutch. That’s unlike Cade and nothing to worry about. If this Heat game turns into another game of who has the last-second heroics, I fully expect Cade to answer the phone. This is a good team to get back on track against.
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (15-4)
Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Miami Heat (13-6)
Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo
Question of the day
It’s Duncan Robinson’s homecoming in Miami. What Pistons player had the best homecoming game?