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The surging Denver Nuggets will play the second of their five-game homestand against the Detroit Pistons. This is the rescheduled matchup from February 1, which was postponed due to the NBA's contact tracing protocols.
Match Details
Fixture: Detroit Pistons vs Denver Nuggets | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 6th, 9 PM ET (Wednesday, 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Detroit Pistons Preview
The Detroit Pistons are focusing purely on player development right now but Dwane Casey's men have won three of their last five matchups. The fact that they beat another rebuilding side in OKC Thunder by 24 points last night showcases that the Pistons are on the right track.
Rookie Killian Hayes has had a tough time adjusting to the NBA, but he showcased some potential against the Thunder. Hayes recorded nine points, seven assists, four steals in two blocks for the Detroit Pistons in a two-way performance.
Hamidou Diallo has averaged 13.8 points and six rebounds off the bench in five appearances for the Detroit Pistons. He's missed the second night of the last two back-to-backs and could be rested against the Denver Nuggets as well. On a positive note, veterans Wayne Ellington and Mason Plumlee are expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday.
Key Player - Jerami Grant
This will be Jerami Grant's first matchup against the Denver Nuggets after he jumped ship to the Detroit Pistons this offseason. Grant continues to make his case for the Most Improved Player Award with averages of 22.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. He's arguably the best player for the Pistons on both ends of the court and will be hoping to put on a good show against his former team.
Detroit Pistons Predicted Lineup
G Saben Lee, G Wayne Ellington, F Saddiq Bey, F Jerami Grant, C Mason Plumlee
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets haven't looked back since making the Aaron Gordon trade. They're on a five-game winning run and their current starting lineup has a net rating of 33.9, the best in the league since the NBA trade deadline. They've also cracked the top four seeds in the West and have a fully healthy squad.
Gordon has been a key contributor for the Denver Nuggets over the last week or so. He started off well defensively, guarding the likes of Tobias Harris and Kawhi Leonard with aplomb. On Sunday, he showcased just how good he can be offensively by playing off Nikola Jokic as a cutter and dropping 24 points.
Jamal Murray's purple patch has also helped the Denver Nuggets' cause. He's averaging a career-high 21.3 points and 4.8 assists per game this season. Meanwhile, Michael Porter Jr. has bought in defensively while managing 20.9 points and 8.5 rebounds since the All-Star break.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
Irrespective of how good the other players are individually, it's Nikola Jokic's passing ability that makes the Denver Nuggets click. He leads the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals.
Jokic has 81 games where he's managed 10 or more assists, the most by a center in NBA history. He's averaging 26.3 points, 11 rebounds and 8.6 dimes per game this season. Jokic will be hoping to dominate former teammate Mason Plumlee who's now the starting center on the Detroit Pistons.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
G Jamal Murray, G Will Barton, F Michael Porter Jr., F Aaron Gordon, C Nikola Jokic
Pistons vs Nuggets Match Prediction
Both the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets are in some form right now but the latter has the advantage on paper. The Pistons have struggled to score efficiently against good defenses and the Nuggets just fortified that aspect of their roster. Additionally, Mike Malone has four players who can score 20 points on a daily basis. Expect Jokic and co. to dominate this tie.
Where to watch Pistons vs Nuggets?
Local coverage of this matchup will be available on Bally Sports Detroit and Altitude Sports. You can also live stream the same via the NBA League Pass.
