PHOENIX – In the present day is one other alternative to enhance for the Phoenix Suns (20-20) – as they’re formally set to shut out the primary half of the 82-game slate this afternoon in opposition to the Detroit Pistons (21-20) are in the course of a protracted highway journey.
That is the second and remaining time the 2 groups will play this season, as Detroit stole the primary assembly by a rating of 133-125 on December 21.
The Suns are coming off a 130-123 victory over the Washington Wizards, whereas Detroit fell to the Indiana Pacers 111-100 the identical night time.
Detroit’s stunning begin to the season was marked by Cade Cunningham’s leap into stardom, whereas the roster can be a lot better constructed this season than final.
Unsung function gamers equivalent to Malik Beasley and Tobias Harris supplied loads of stability to bridge the hole between rebuilding and transferring towards rivalry – the end result turned the Pistons into a real contender for a playoff spot.
The participant to observe for Detroit at present is in the end Ausar Thompson. The previous second-year lottery decide remains to be fairly uncooked as a participant, however he usually exhibits game-breaking athleticism — and that might be a significant concern for Phoenix after giving up a mixed 40 offensive rebounds of their final two defeats.
Ryan Dunn will look to neutralize any athletic benefits Detroit might need – the rookie phenom is coming off a career-high 18 targets in opposition to the Wizards on Thursday night time.
The keys to a Suns victory are easy: hold the rebounding battle shut, exploit potential mismatches (Durant vs. Harris), and take a wholesome dose of three-point seems (Detroit is even behind the arc).
Suns-Pistons ought to tip off shortly after 2 p.m. Arizona time this afternoon.
