Hawks at Pistons
The Detroit Pistons opened a nine-game homestand with a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on March 16, but five victories in a row since that setback have vaulted Detroit into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Now the Pistons look to extend their winning streak to six and extract some revenge at home against the Hawks on Saturday after welcoming back Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in Friday’s 112-105 victory over Charlotte, moving into a virtual tie with Indiana for seventh place in the East.
Caldwell-Pope missed Wednesday’s victory over Orlando with an illness, but logged 37 minutes Friday in scoring a team-best 21 points as Detroit improved to 8-1 in its past nine home contests. That one loss was a 118-114 defeat to the Hawks last week as Atlanta improved to 2-1 against the Pistons this season. Atlanta has won 12 of its past 15 after Friday’s 101-90 home victory over Milwaukee, and come into Saturday in third place in the East. Jeff Teague scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the second half and Paul Millsap added 14 points and 13 rebounds as the Hawks moved a season-best 13 games above .500.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE HAWKS (43-30): Atlanta struggled from 3-point range Friday, shooting 5-of-32 from beyond the arc (snapping a seven-game streak of making 10 or more), but scored 58 points in the paint against Milwaukee’s strong frontcourt. Teague has made just 17-of-44 shots in the past three games, but hit 4-of-7 attempts in the final quarter Friday to help the Hawks improve to 10-3 in March. Forward Thabo Sefolosha scored 10 points with seven rebounds off the bench, his fifth double-figure scoring output in the past eight contests.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (39-34): Caldwell-Pope has blossomed in his third season, averaging 14.8 points (19.9 points in his past nine contests), and Tobias Harris has scored in double figures in 17 of 19 games since being traded to Detroit from Orlando. Center Andre Drummond continues to pile up double-doubles – posting his NBA-leading 60th Friday with 18 points and 14 rebounds – and is averaging 18.4 points and 12.8 rebounds during Detroit’s winning streak. The Pistons pulled down 62 rebounds Friday, their highest total in a non-overtime game this season, and are 34-13 when outrebounding the opposition.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Teague is averaging 21 points against Detroit this season while Drummond is averaging 20.3 points and 16.3 rebounds against the Hawks.
2. Pistons F Marcus Morris scored 20 points Friday and he is averaging a career-best 14 per game.
3. The Hawks have won nine of their past 13 against the Pistons.