The NBA schedule is weird and that is proven by the fact that the Pistons are playing the Heat for the first time since opening night, a mere 59 game gap between matchups. And to add to the weirdness, this is one of three times the Pistons play the Heat over the next 12 days. Nothing like a balanced schedule.
I know travel plays a role in a lot of these decisions, but this game is also on the road against the Heat just like opening night.
Both teams have gone through a few roster changes since opening night. For the Heat, it was just one significant trade, while the Pistons have gone through a wholesale bench change.
Game Vitals
Where: Kaseya Center in Miami, FL
When: Tuesday, March 5 at 7:30 pm EST
Watch: Bally Sports Detroit
Odds: Miami (-11.5)
Analysis
The Pistons are looking to get the bad taste from Sunday’s loss to Orlando out of their mouth. They were competitive in the first half, until the starters pulled off a classic “Pistons bench” and absolutely imploded in the 3rd quarter. The bench almost bailed them out by cutting Orlando’s lead down to 10, but the starters came back and let Orlando have the game.
That was one of the few times this season where the starters were the ones doing the pants crapping, as that is usually reserved for Monty Williams’ patented all-bench lineups. One change that has happened the last couple games, even though the results haven’t been there, has been a shortening of the rotation by Monty Williams with less all-bench lineups. It has resulted in less blown leads by the bench, now the starters just need to get back to how they were playing post-all star break before the last couple games.
The Pistons can stay in most games if they get a middle-of-the-road performance out of their bench instead of the usual “worst bench in the league playing the most minutes,” that has been a thing for most of the season.
Miami is a tough matchup for the Pistons, as their roster is filled with playoff-tested veterans who play tough defense. With the Pistons aversion to hanging onto the ball, any team that can play tough defense and get a bit physical gives this team nightmares (hello Orlando).
However, the Heat also have a tendency to coast a bit during the regular season before turning it on in the playoffs.
One thing working heavily against the Pistons now is the Heat’s acquisition of Terry Rozier, who has been a Piston-killer over the years. The Heat don’t really need him to be his typical Piston-killer self to beat the Pistons, but it definitely helps.
When these two teams faced off on opening night, the Pistons nearly pulled off an upset behind a masterful Cade Cunningham performance. He finished the game with 30 points, as the Pistons missed a shot at the buzzer that could have won the game. It is crazy to think the Pistons were one shot away from starting off the season 3-0, now look where we are.
This Heat team is not much different than that team the Pistons faced on opening night, outside of the addition of Rozier. They are still led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo with their usual cast of role players and knock down shooters around those two. It’s a formula that works come playoff time, even if they don’t have the best looking roster on paper.
They have been helped by a bounce-back season by Duncan Robinson along with rookie Jamie Jaquez, who has been a huge part of their rotation all season.
This feels like a game that the Pistons could be in the whole time, before the Heat turn it on late to escape with a win. The Heat are the exact kind of team that could do that.
Lineups
Detroit Pistons (9-51): Cade Cunnnigham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren
Miami Heat (34-26): Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic, Bam Adebayo
Question of the Day
Do you think Monty Williams is finally figuring out how to stagger starters and play the bench less together, or will he go back to the all-bench lineup given the last couple games?