Nets at Pistons
The Detroit Pistons never got where they wanted to be with Stan Van Gundy leading the basketball operations and in control of the bench, and the team decided to make a change in leadership. The Pistons will kick off the Dwane Casey era by hosting the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
Casey led the Toronto Raptors to a franchise-record 59 wins last season but could not guide the team around LeBron James in the playoffs, leading to a parting of the ways and a new start for Casey in Detroit. "I love his willingness to mix it up," star forward Blake Griffin told reporters of Casey, "and have lineups that aren’t necessarily traditional but maybe work to our advantage." The Nets remain in rebuilding mode but are taking steps in the right direction and are excited about young guards like D'Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert. "Our strength is on the perimeter," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "We don’t have a real post-up guy. But now, I feel confident. We’re more of a spread so we can drive the ball better, we can get to the rim better. ... There’s going to be more room to (pick-and-roll), more room to drive."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FS Detroit
ABOUT THE NETS (2017-18: 28-54): Russell, 22, is being counted on to lead the team and is hoping to make it through the season healthy after playing just 48 games last season due to a knee injury. The former No. 2 overall draft pick averaged 15.5 points on 41.4 percent shooting in his first season with Brooklyn last year while posting a career-best 5.2 assists. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (groin) is a game-time decision, fellow forward DeMarre Carroll is out indefinitely due to an ankle injury and wing Allen Crabbe (ankle) and guard Shabazz Napier (hamstring) will also miss the game, while the team is looking for center Jarrett Allen (8.2 points and 5.4 rebounds as a rookie) to take a step forward.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (2017-18: 39-43): Griffin averaged 19.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 25 games after being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers last season and will set up in the frontcourt alongside center Andre Drummond. The 25-year-old Drummond averaged 15 points and 16 rebounds in 2017-18 while shooting a career-best 60.5 percent from the free-throw line. Health is key for Detroit, which is not only leaning on the oft-injured Griffin but is hoping for a full season from point guard Reggie Jackson, who was limited to 45 games due to an ankle injury in 2017-18.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hollis-Jefferson suffered his injury in August and sat out all four preseason games..
2. Griffin scored 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting in 26 during the final preseason game on Friday.
3. The Pistons took three of the four meetings last season, with Brooklyn's lone win coming at Detroit on Jan. 21.