Pistons vs Bulls preview: Next man up means something here

SB Nation

The Detroit Pistons continue to do what they can to prove they’re legit contenders. They rocked the New York Knicks in front of the NBA world and have beaten any Eastern Conference team seen as a serious

threat.

The Chicago Bulls aren’t seen in that light, but keep stacking good days. Detroit is 3.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics; games like this can cushion that lead if they handle their business. Detroit has been getting contributions from all over the roster — next man up isn’t just a saying here.

Game vitals

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

How: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit

Odds: Pistons -10.5

Analysis:

The Pistons thumped their Central Division rival three straight times after losing the first matchup last year. A similar trend could be on the horizon this season as Detroit is looking to defeat the Bulls for a second straight time after dropping opening night to Chicago.

I personally love jumbo guard matchups. They’re the future of the league, and seeing them lock horns is great basketball. Cade Cunningham might carry that mantle alone tonight as Josh Giddey is out with an ankle injury, and Cade is listed as probable due to a right wrist contusion.

Giddey was arguably playing at an All-Star level before he went down. The 6-foot-8 creator averages 41.4 points created per Databallr (points + assists) and a monstrous 8.9 rebounds per game. Cade is just outside of the top-10 guard rebounders at 6.2 a contest.

Cade is creating even more than Giddey. Only Nikola Jokić (55.4) and Luka Dončić (53.8) create more points per game than Cade (49.7). Cade is a far better defender than those two, though. Especially guarding the ball.

Cade’s chasedown and helpside blocks garner social media praise and ignite the guys, but his willingness to sit in that chair as the best player on the team does so much for this young group’s energy. No one has an excuse when the top dog is locked in defensively.

The Bulls and Pistons are both young teams for the most part, but they go about their business differently in some ways. Both teams get on the break and make you pay, but the Bulls are dead last in isolation possessions. They run more of a swing swing swing offense as they rank No. 2 in passes per game.

While Detroit isn’t a heavy iso team as a whole, Cunningham has been a one-man wrecking crew, posting 1.10 PPP in isolation (Dončić clocks in at 1.12 PPP). Jalen Duren also cooks mismatches, scoring 1.15 on limited volume. He’ll be out again tonight. Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert are probable, but Detroit feels confident with whoever is in the lineup.

It hasn’t mattered who’s been in street clothes for this scrappy group. Duren is out? Okay, now you have to deal with more Isaiah Stewart minutes. He’s arguably the No. 1 pound-for-pound defender in basketball. Tobias Harris is out? Cool, now you need HOKA running shoes to chase the Pistons youth up and down the floor.

Daniss Jenkins remains on explosion-watch nightly, and Javonte Green was one of the more underrated offseason signings. He was made to be a Piston. All of these players step up when called upon. Teams pay lip service with the next man up talk, but the Pistons are living it. The schemes remain versatile with anyone playing, and that’s a testament to the buy-in JB Bickerstaff has gotten.

The Bulls’ move-the-ball philosophy remains the same with Giddey out of the lineup. You want to see your system still be implemented even with the star out; kudos to Billy Donovan for cultivating this culture that keeps every player involved.

That’s similar to Detroit, who bring their lunchbox and hard hat to work every night. JB Bickerstaff and Donovan have both gotten buy-in from their guys.

This style of play isn’t resulting in a ton of wins for Chicago, but the Bulls are in the infancy stage of their rebuild. They finally got off those massive contracts last year and should be looking to send Nikola Vučević elsewhere ASAP. Picks and young player progress are top priorities moving forward for the Bulls.

Matas Buzelis is having a solid second season. Besides Giddey, he’s their top asset, and this rebuild hinges on how good the springy 21-year-old can be.

Detroit couldn’t be in a more different position. They can’t afford developmental reps. Their timeline has officially been accelerated. This is no longer a cute team trying to find its place in the league. They’re good enough to win right now if the stars align. Every championship has some aspect of luck attached to it. But the prepared get lucky.

After clobbering the New York Knicks live on Peacock, the conversation around the Pistons is shifting. Daily sports TV shows are crowning them true contenders, FanDuel gives them the third-best odds to make it out of the East (Kicks and Celtics are beatable), and every team knows what type of contest they’re in with the Pistons across from them. It’s going to be an all-around ugly, gritty, grimy game, just like everyone who suits up for Detroit likes it.