'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAswT/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAADf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAG//xAAhEAACAQMDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwQCBSEAIkEHERMycv/aAAgBAQABPwDvJgtiItYQYzQw+FwI34PvnB3cc6tfVMyLZEfJRb6XsTRWwCp2KiPjX//EABsRAAAHAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwQFERJB/9oACAECAQE/AI9uRfW+UP/EABgRAQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAgME/9oACAEDAQE/AOjRoCT/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Week 19 of the 2020-21 NBA season begins with the Detroit Pistons hosting the Atlanta Hawks at Little Caesars Arena on Monday. The Hawks are right in the middle of playoff contention, thanks to Trae Young's exploits this season. Meanwhile, the Pistons have thrown in the towel and are looking to rebuild their roster around young talent.
Match Details
Fixture: Atlanta Hawks vs Detroit Pistons | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Monday, April 26th, 2021; 7:00 PM ET (Tuesday, April 27th; 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI.
Detroit Pistons Preview
After a couple of disastrous seasons, the Detroit Pistons finally decided to let go of their veterans and focus on young player development. They traded Derrick Rose and waived Blake Griffin at the NBA trade deadline this season. Coach Dwane Casey has made significant progress with the young talent on the team. Saddiq Bey has shown himself to be an underrated small forward. He is averaging 11.3 points per game on 40% shooting from the floor and 37.5% from the three-point line. Although he is averaging just 11.3 PPG, he has recorded 7 games with 20+ points this season.
Guard Josh Jackson has been great as well. He is averaging 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Most of the team is in their 20s and the future of the Pistons looks bright. The Detroit Pistons are a lock for the top 5 picks in the upcoming draft.
Key Player - Jerami Grant
Jerami Grant's Pistons debut season has been a silver lining for the team in a dismal year. All eyes are on him as he makes his case for the 'Most Improved Player of the Year' award. He used to be a solid role player valued for his defense, but has elevated his game to become a prolific scorer. Jerami Grant had a career average of 9.3 points per game but is now averaging 22.6 points a night.
Detroit Pistons Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Killian Hayes | Shooting Guard - Josh Jackson | Small Forward - Saddiq Bey | Power Forward - Jerami Grant | Center - Mason Plumlee.
Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks are one of the most surprising stories this season. They replaced coach Lloyd Pierce with Nate McMillan on March 1st on an interim basis, and no team in the Eastern Conference has had a better record since. The Hawks are remarkably 20-7 since the 1st of March and are currently tied with the New York Knicks for the fourth seed in the conference.
Hearts of all Atlanta fans skipped a beat when their star point guard Trae Young went down with an ankle injury. However, courtesy of Bogdan Bogdanovic, the team has won both games since Young's absence. The Atlanta Hawks are now 5-2 without Young in the lineup. Other than Trae, the team has been grappling with injury issues all month, but that hasn't hampered their mission to get back into the playoffs. The likes of Cam Reddish, De'Andre Hunter, Tony Snell and Kris Dunn have all been in and out of the lineup. However, the Hawks have shown true resilience and grit in their respective absences.
Key Player - Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bogdan Bogdanovic has been excellent in his debut season with the Hawks. He is averaging 15.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game on 46% shooting from the floor. Bogdanovic is well known for his three-point shooting. He attempts over 7 threes a game and knocks down a remarkable 42% of them. He scored 21 and 32 points in the team's last two wins against Miami and Milwaukee respectively, carrying his team to victory.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Bogdan Bogdanovic | Shooting Guard - Kevin Huerter | Small Forward - Solomon Hill | Power Forward - John Collins | Center - Clint Capela.
Hawks vs Pistons Match Prediction
The Atlanta Hawks are the clear favorites to win this game based on their experienced roster and team record. The Pistons have a lot of young players who give up winning positions easily, and the Hawks should find a way to continue their win streak. The Atlanta Hawks are top 10 in rebounding, thanks to Clint Capela's dominance in cleaning up the glass. This could intimidate the Detroit Pistons on the boards, which could be key to the game.
Where to watch the Hawks vs Pistons game?
The Atlanta Hawks vs Detroit Pistons game will be locally televised on Bally Sports Detroit and Bally Sports Southeast - Atlanta (SE-ATL). The game can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Top 5 underrated small forwards in the 2020-21 NBA season so far
Guess the Lakers players!
