The Philadelphia 76ers are in Detroit on Wednesday night to take on the Pistons as they battle for the early-season top spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Sixers' lone loss of the season came against these same Pistons on Oct. 25, in a game they played without Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe, while the Pistons' only loss came the following night against the Knicks. The Sixers should have their key starters available tonight, while the Pistons will be missing Jalen Duren and Isaiah Joe.
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (7-1) at Detroit Pistons (6-1)
When: 7 p.m. EST
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: ESPN, NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers are coming off a 126-107 blowout win over the Bulls on Monday night, which saw all five starters score in double figures. Tyrese Maxey, as he has throughout the start of the season, led the team with 26 points and 11 assists, while LeBron James finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. VJ Edgecombe finished with 21 points and seemed to be all over the floor for the team throughout the night. While their 3-point shooting remains a cause for concern, the Sixers shot 52% from the floor and finished with 62 points in the paint, which is huge given the overall size of the lineup.
Moving forward, the team has to improve its half-court offense as well as its 3-point shooting, as the Sixers are connecting on just 34.2% of their attempts this year, which ranks toward the bottom of the league. One thing the Sixers have been doing is forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. Entering Wednesday, they boast the second-best scoring defense in the league, allowing just 105.1 points per game. The only team ahead of them is the Pistons, who are allowing just over 100. Tonight, with their key starters available, should be a true test of which team is setting itself apart in the conference.
The Pistons boast one of the top defenses in the league, but their offense ranks just 18th at 111.9 points per game. If they're going to compete against a Sixers team that will have Edgecombe and Embiid back, they'll have to step up on both ends of the court. The team is coming off a 33-point blowout victory over the Hornets on Monday, when Detroit shot 48.6% from beyond the arc. That kind of shooting will test Philadelphia's perimeter defense throughout the night.
Cade Cunningham continues his ascent toward bona fide star status this year, averaging 23.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game, but the team is getting contributions from all over the roster. Duncan Robinson is averaging 17.9 points per game on 45.2% 3-point shooting, Paul Reed is chipping in 13.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per night, and there are a handful of players like Ausar Thompson, Daniss Jenkins and John Collins who sit just outside of double figures in scoring but are also contributing in other areas. Jenkins is shooting 41.7% on his 3-point attempts, and the team as a whole presents a lot of problems on the interior and around the perimeter for its opposition.
This is a different team than the Pistons saw just over a week ago, as the Sixers have won four straight games and will have Embiid, Edgecombe and Jabari Walker all playing, as well as a much more comfortable Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons. Despite a horrid shooting night against the Bulls, Simons had been instant offense for the team in its previous three games, has never met a shot he didn't like and can provide the Sixers with points off the bench, an area where they've struggled all season.
What tonight will come down to is whether the Sixers' improved defense and the return of two of their starters will be enough to shut down a Pistons team that ranks near the top of the league in 3-point shooting. Having the speed of Maxey and Edgecombe on defense will be key, as will Wade's ability to rotate and disrupt passing lanes. If they're able to keep the shooters out of rhythm and Embiid, with his renewed focus on defense, can stay out of foul trouble, the Sixers could be looking at a little revenge for the teams' last matchup.
As they approach game eight of the LeBron era, you can see the team becoming more comfortable together and more aware of James when he's on the court. As they move, especially in transition, James will put the ball in their hands when and where it needs to be, creating much better offensive opportunities. That should continue as the season goes along. Against a team like the Pistons, tonight will be crucial in seeing where the starters are and how head coach Nick Nurse manages his rotation against quality opponents moving forward.
Sixers 109 - Pistons 104
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