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Detroit Pistons (23-42) vs. Utah Jazz (28-36)
Time, TV: Saturday, March 14 – 9:30 p.m. ET on NBA League Pass
Projected Starting Lineups:
Detroit Pistons: PG: Reggie Jackson, SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SF: Caron Butler, PF: Greg Monroe, C: Andre Drummond
Utah Jazz: PG: Dante Exum, SG: Rodney Hood, SF: Gordon Hayward, PF: Derrick Favors, C: Rudy Gobert
The scorching hot Utah Jazz will welcome the struggling Detroit Pistons to town for a Saturday night showdown.
After the Pistons released Josh Smith, they went through an initial rebirth to their season, thanks mainly to the strong play of Brandon Jennings. But after Jennings went down with a season-ending injury, the Pistons have been reeling. Their mid-season acquisition of Reggie Jackson has been hit and miss, and the Pistons have really lost a lot of ground in trying to get a playoff seed this year in the weak East.
The Jazz on the other hand have caught fire after dealing away Enes Kanter at the trade deadline. By replacing the offensive-minded Kanter with the defensive-specialist Rudy Gobert, the Jazz have become a legitimate team. Gobert has been outstanding, especially in Thursday’s win against the Houston Rockets when he recorded 19 points and 22 rebounds.
The key match-up for this game will be Andre Drummond vs. Gobert. Both are defensive specialists who help anchor their respective teams. Whoever does a better job patrolling the post and forcing outside shots will put their team in a better position to win game.
Ultimately, I see the Jazz winning this one. They have won seven out of their last eight and have seemed to finally establish an identity of a defensive-minded team. The Pistons do not have a lot of confidence right now, and the Jazz are rolling.
Prediction: Jazz 104, Pistons 85
Dan Schultz is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @dschultz89. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.
