The Sixers are coming off a feel-good victory, defeating the tanking Memphis Grizzlies 139-129 in a game where they were without Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid. Now they’ll look to keep their playoff hopes alive in a much tougher game, traveling to Detroit to face the first-seeded Pistons.
As many know, the Pistons are having their best year in quite some time. They’ve already surpassed the 46-win mark, a feat they haven’t accomplished since the 2007-08 season. The tip of the spear is Cade Cunningham, who is firmly in the MVP mix and in the midst of a stellar season. On the year, Cunningham is averaging 25.1 points, 9.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds on 45.9/35/80.1 splits. Strong, well-rounded numbers for the former No. 1 overall pick.
But of course, with any winning team there are guys behind the guy, and the Pistons are no exception. Jalen Duren has been the other star beside Cade, developing into a double-double machine averaging 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds on 63.1 percent shooting. Isaiah Stewart has also developed into a capable two-way player, one who can match up against most bigs and not only hold his own, but hit shots on the other end. Duncan Robinson has been strangely important for this team as a vital floor spacer. They also have no shortage of contributors, with Caris LeVert, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland all offering a varying set of skills.
And of course, our old friends Paul Reed and Tobias Harris are there as well. For those curious, Harris has averaged 13.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 45.1/33/87.9 splits, while Reed has been excellent in a limited role, averaging 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds on 60.1 percent shooting in 13.1 minutes per contest. Even beyond all of those guys, the Pistons have even more players capable of giving quality minutes. Between the star power of Cunningham and Duren and their depth, it’s easy to see why this team has won so many games.
The Sixers and Pistons have faced off twice this year, with the Pistons taking both games. With two matchups remaining, Philadelphia will look to split the season series before it’s all said and done.
Despite the slew of injuries, there has been some recent positives with this team. You just have to squint. Really hard. VJ Edgecombe is back and playing basketball, which is wonderful to see. A silver lining of the Sixers being decimated by injuries is that Edgecombe will have the ball a lot more, and will have to stretch out those playmaking skills. The Sixers have frankly asked him to do way too much for a 20 year old rookie, and he’s answered the call almost every time.
Beyond Edgecombe, Cameron Payne is coming off what might be the best game of his career. Payne put up 32 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and five stocks with zero turnovers, shooting a blistering 9-of-10 from the field and 8-of-8 from three. It would be unreasonable to expect that type of performance again, but Payne has quietly settled in nicely with the Sixers. It’s a shame we aren’t able to see his production alongside the bigger names.
Quentin Grimes has also picked things up as of late, coming off back-to-back double-digit performances.
Heading into this one, Maxey, Embiid, and George are all out, as expected. Kelly Oubre Jr., who was coming off one of his best games of the season, will also miss a few weeks with an elbow sprain, while Adem Bona is questionable due to back soreness. On the Detroit side, Thompson is out and LeVert is doubtful with a wrist sprain.
If the Sixers aren’t in free fall yet, they’re damn close. The margin for error is slim, and they’ll need everyone firing on all cylinders to get this W. Let’s see if they can pull off the impossible, or if this turns into yet another ugly one.
Game Details
When: Tuesday, March 12, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Prime Video
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers
