The Detroit Pistons continue their early-season road trip tonight in Memphis, carrying a 4–2 record and a growing sense of rhythm following Saturday’s 118–107 win over the Orlando Magic in Mexico City.
The win marked perhaps the team’s most complete effort of the young season — fueled by a career night from Jalen Duren, who exploded for 33 points and dominated the interior on both ends. Cade Cunningham, meanwhile, orchestrated the offense to perfection, tallying a career-high 18 assists while keeping his turnovers to a minimum — an encouraging trend over the past two games.
Detroit outscored Orlando 35–17 in the fourth quarter to put the game away, showing poise and maturity down the stretch that’s been years in the making. Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson each provided timely scoring support, spacing the floor and taking pressure off Cunningham in half-court sets.
GAME VITALS
When: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -4.5
ANALYSIS
Memphis (3–4) returns home after a tough back-to-back, falling to the Toronto Raptors 117-104 on Sunday night. The Grizzlies will get a major boost for this one, as star guard Ja Morant returns from a one-game suspension. Morant leads the team in scoring at 20.2 points per game and remains one of the league’s most dynamic creators in transition.
Behind him, Jaren Jackson Jr. (17.2 PPG) continues to anchor the frontcourt with his shot-blocking and floor-spacing ability, while rookie Cedric Coward has quickly emerged as a spark plug off the bench — averaging 15.5 points and giving Memphis some much-needed scoring punch with their second unit. They’ve seemed to replace Desmond Bane’s production in the aggregate with some of their young players stepping up in the early part of the season, we’ll see if it’s sustainable.
As a team, defense has been the weak spot for the Grizzlies early on. They currently rank 26th in the league in points allowed (121.3 per game), while the Pistons sit sixth in that category (113.5), reflecting Detroit’s early-season commitment to defensive accountability.
For Detroit, this matchup offers another opportunity to keep building chemistry between Cunningham and Duren — a pairing that’s looking more and more like the cornerstone of the franchise. With Duren’s improved footwork and soft touch around the rim complementing Cunningham’s evolving playmaking, the two have developed a connection that’s rapidly becoming one of the league’s most intriguing young duos.
Expect the Pistons to again rely on balanced scoring and disciplined defense, especially in transition where Morant thrives. Memphis will try to speed things up, but Detroit’s ability to control tempo and execute late could make the difference.
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MATCHUP TO WATCH: Cade Cunningham vs. Ja Morant
Two of the brightest young guards in the NBA will go head-to-head in a fascinating contrast of styles. Cunningham’s poise, vision, and size make him a problem for most backcourts, while Morant’s explosiveness can break open a game in seconds.
If Cade can dictate pace and limit live-ball turnovers, Detroit has the edge. But if Morant gets into the open floor and Memphis finds rhythm behind from the supporting cast behind him, this could turn into a shootout.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
DETROIT PISTONS (4–2)
Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (3–4)
Ja Morant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jock Landale, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr.
