After an abysmal January that included an eight-game losing streak, the Pistons looked like they had finally found their stride, responding with five wins in a row.
However, it appears whatever mojo they found has been misplaced once again. Detroit has lost five of their last six games heading into tonight’s matchup, with their sole victory coming at the expense of the Atlanta Hawks, who are essentially a glorified G League team at this point.
One would think that a frontcourt comprised of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond would dominate the glass, but that hasn't been the case — the Pistons are just 19th in the league in rebounds per game. While one could assume that the Raptors won’t have to worry too much on that end, think again.
The Pistons are on the precipice of cracking the list of the top ten offensive rebounding teams in the league. If the game comes down to the wire, one can expect Dwane Casey to unleash Jonas Valanciunas to feast on the boards against Drummond — historically, this has been a pretty fun matchup, so let’s hope they continue to entertain tonight.
Remember to take a look at the full game preview from Daniel Reynolds, and here are the updated details for the game:
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Where to Watch:
Sportsnet One, 7:30 PM EST
Lineups:
Toronto - Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, OG Anunoby, Serge Ibaka, Jonas Valancuinas
Detroit - Ish Smith, Stanley Johnson, Reggie Bullock, Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond
Injuries
Toronto - Lorenzo Brown (ankle)
Detroit - Reggie Jackson (right ankle), Jon Leuer (left ankle)