Saturday, December 7, 2019
The Indiana Pacers saw a five-game win streak come to an end on November 30 as they fell to the Philadelphia 76ers, 119-116. With a win tonight over the Detroit Pistons, they will extend a two-game win streak to three, hoping to exceed the previous win streak. Tonight’s matchup will mark the fourth battle of a five-game road trip.
The Pistons, on the other hand, are hoping to avoid a second straight loss as they are coming fresh off a 127-103 fall to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. Tonight will mark the fourth and final time that these two ball clubs will play each other this season.
November 8 was the last time that saw each other as the Pacers defeated the Pistons, 112-106. Domantas Sabonis finished the game with 17 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, and one block while both T.J. Warren and T.J. McConnell also had 17 points each. Luke Kennard settled for 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY:
The Pistons and the Pacers have battled each other a grand total of 212 times in the past as the Pistons had 107 wins while the Pacers defeated them 105 times.
INACTIVES:
Indiana Pacers:
-Victor Oladipo (quad)
-JaKarr Sampson (5.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 0.4 APG, 56.1 FG%, 20.0 3P%)
-Alize Johnson (coach’s decision; 1.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.3 APG, 45.5 FG%)
-T.J. Leaf (coach’s decision; 4.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.4 APG, 44.8 FG%, 45.5 3P%)
-Edmond Sumner (coach’s decision; 7.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 50.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
-Brian Bowen (G-League; 0.7 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 0.0 APG, 25.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
-Naz Mitrou-Long (G-League; 4.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 37.5 FG%, 18.2 3P%)
Detroit Pistons:
-Reggie Jackson (back; 5.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, 36.4 FG%, 20.0 3P%)
-Khyri Thomas (foot; 0.5 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG)
-Tim Frazier (coach’s decision; 2.5 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 21.4 FG%, 21.4 3P%)
-Markieff Morris (illness; 10.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 47.5 FG%, 41.0 3P%)
-Louis King (G-League)
-Jordan Bone (G-League; 1.3 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 40.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
-Sekou Doumbouya (G-League; 1.5 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.0 APG, 50.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
GAMETIME:
The Detroit Pistons would have control of the game in the first half as they shot forty-three percent from the field, keeping the Indiana Pacers at thirty-three percent shooting. Blake Griffin scored 16 points while burying a three-pointer in the first quarter. He also had three rebounds, four assists, 2 steals, and a block while Andre Drummond recorded 12 points.
Drummond was able to grab 12 rebounds, commit two steals, and block a shot while Luke Kennard earned himself 11 points. Kennard was able to hit two shots from beyond the arc while Tony Snell contributed with five points. The 2014-2015 All-Rookie Team selection Langston Galloway played the most minutes off the bench but only had a trey.
On the other end of the floor, Malcolm Brogdon chalked up 11 points while drilling a three-pointer in the second quarter. Domantas Sabonis helped out with nine points but shot only thirty-three percent from the field. T.J. Warren and Jeremy Lamb combined for eight points while Myles Turner had just one point. Justin Holiday played 14 minutes off the bench but had just two points as the home team went into halftime with a 55-44 lead.
The Indianapolis ball club would attempt a comeback in the second half as they shot fifty-eight percent from the field while the Pistons shot forty-six percent. Warren got hot for twenty points while missing only four of thirteen shots attempted. Both Lamb and Brogdon scored ten points each while Sabonis had nine. Justin Holiday played the most minutes off the bench but was kept scoreless.
As for the Michigan team, Drummond chalked up 13 points while grabbing ten boards and committing two steals. Griffin helped out with two three-pointers and three free-throws. Galloway played 16 minutes off the bench, only to score two points, but the Pistons were still able to pull out a 108-101 victory. Andre Drummond finished with 25 points, 22 rebounds, one assist, 3 steals, and two blocks while TJ. Warren settled for 26 points, one rebound, and one assist.
So…what’s next?
The Indiana Pacers will head to New York to take on Marcus Morris (18.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 41.8 FG%, 50.0 3P%) and the New York Knicks (4-18) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. This will mark the first of three meetings between these two teams this season.
The Detroit Pistons will travel to Louisiana to battle Brandon Ingram (25.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 49.2 FG%, 42.3 3P%) and the New Orleans Pelicans (6-16) on Monday at 8:00 p.m. This meeting will mark the first of two matchups between these two ball clubs this season.