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The Indiana Pacers will arrive on the Detroit Pistons' homecourt at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night with hopes of an easy victory. In a contest between two of the bottom three teams in the Eastern Conference, the city of Detroit will get to witness Jerami Grant go toe-to-toe with Domantas Sabonis.
Indiana, with its 6-9 record, has looked unbeatable in a few of their games. If they can muster the same fighting spirit against Detroit, the Indiana Pacers will most likely add another victory to their record.
Meanwhile, Dwane Casey's team, with a 3-10 record, have lost to strong offensive teams like the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. With the Pacers offense inconsistent, the Detroit Pistons may manage to put up stiff resistance at Little Ceasers Arena.
Match Details
Fixture: Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 17th, 2021, 7:00 PM ET (Thursday, November 18th, 2021, 5:30 AM IST)
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers' erratic performances have made them hard to judge so far this season. They have an offensive rating of 108.5 which is mediocre at best. Their defensive rating (108.4) is ranked 17th in the league. Chris Duarte's probable absence in the upcoming game will put them at a slight disadvantage as well.
Yet, they have defeated powerhouses like the 76ers, Miami Heat and Utah Jazz. Their most recent escapades have looked promising, and November has brought improvement to the Pacers Camp. This month, Indiana's field goals made are up by 2.9% while their three-pointers are up by 2%.
Key Player - Malcolm Brogdon
In Malcolm Brogdon's absence, Indiana lost three games while winning only two. Since returning to the court a second time against the Denver Nuggets, Brogdon and Co. have added two more crucial wins to their season tally. His 30 point game against Utah proved to be the shove that sent the home team tumbling down.
The former Virginia graduate is an exceptional attacking asset for his team, albeit when he is healthy. In 2020-21, he played only 56 of the 72 games. In the ongoing season, he has already missed five games.
Yet, when he is on the court, he is a scoring beast who can easily punish the opponents with 30 point games on any given night. He is currently averaging 22.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists and will most definitely be a key player for the Indiana Pacers in the game against the Detroit Pistons.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
G - Malcolm Brogdon | G - Justin Holiday | F - Caris LeVert | F - Domantas Sabonis | C - Myles Turner
Detroit Pistons Preview
For the team that currently stands 14th in the Eastern Conference, at least injuries and illnesses have left them alone. Their healthy roster while preparing to host the Indiana Pacers is the only positive they can boast about. They are without any phenomenal scorers and have only four players on their roster who can contribute to the scorecard in double-digits.
The Detroit Pistons' offensive rating of 99.9 is ranked 28th in the league, while their defensive rating of 110.7 is ranked 23rd. Sophomore player Sadiq Bey has added another layer of threat with an overall improvement in his stats since his rookie season.
However, without a better bench and supporting cast, it has proven to be inconsequential.
Key Player - Jerami Grant
Jerami Grant is the top scorer on Detroit's roster. He is currently averaging 17.9 points per game, which is not outstanding by league standards but still makes Grant an invaluable asset for the Detroit Pistons. Furthermore, his 1.8 three-pointers per game with an efficiency rate of 33.33% make him the best downtown shooter in his squad, which clearly isn't saying much.
Grant's flaws aside, the 6'8" power forward has the potential to average 20+ points per game, like he did in 2020-21. In the game against the Houston Rockets, his 35 points gave us a glimpse of his offensive prowess. If he can mimic the same performance against the Indiana Pacers, then the Detroit Pistons has a fighting chance.
Detroit Pistons Predicted Lineup
G - Killian Hayes | G - Cade Cunningham | F - Saddiq Bey | F - Jerami Grant | C - Isaiah Stewart
Pacers vs Pistons Match Prediction
The Indiana Pacers are amongst the bottom three in the East as of now. However, they have a much superior offense and defense when compared with the Pistons or the Orlando Magic. Indiana's supporting cast and downtown shooting will be tough hurdles for the Detroit Pistons to overcome. For this reason, we predict that the Pacers will win Wednesday's game.
Where to watch Pacers vs Pistons?
Bally Sports DET and Bally Sports Indiana will be local broadcasters for the game between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. Fans can also watch the game online via the NBA League Pass.
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