Two teams that have been revitalized by adding new point guards are set to face off tonight in Detroit. We all know how John Wall has changed the Wizards' fortunes, but don't forget about Jose Calderon in Detroit. The Pistons are 2-3 since he joined, but keep in mind one of those wins is against the Spurs and two of those three losses came against the Knicks and Nets. While they might not have the win-loss record to show it just yet, the early returns are showing that the Pistons are doing better with Calderon, particularly on the offensive end. Tonight, we'll get to see just how much better things have gotten for each team.
Where and When: The game is at 7:30 p.m. at the Palace of Auburn Hills. You can watch the game on Comcast SportsNet.
Why Should I Care: With a win tonight, the Wizards would close within four games of Detroit for the all-important 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.
What happened the other times these two played this year? Washington and Detroit played in a back to back right before Christmas while the Wizards were mired in an eight-game losing streak. The Pistons walloped the Wizards in the first meeting, 100-68 in Detroit. The Wizards rebounded with a more respectable effort two days later, but still lost 96-87.
What are the Pistons good at? With Greg Monroe, Jason Maxiell and Andre Drummond, it should surprise you that the Pistons are excellent on the offensive glass. Drummond actually leads the NBA in offensive rebound percentage, besting second-place Tyson Chandler by a full percentage point. The only issue is that Drummond is out for the next 4-6 weeks with a stress fracture.
Defensively, they're similar to the Wizards in that their defense focuses on forcing bad shots more than trying to generate turnovers. They're really only one good interior defender away from being something really good.
Where do the Pistons struggle? Other than offensive rebounding, there hasn't been much else to get excited about offensively for Detroit. Calderon, Charlie Villanueva and Kyle Singler are the only guys worth worrying about from outside, and with Drummond out, it makes it a lot easier for teams to focus on Greg Monroe inside.
How do the Wizards match up tonight? Despite Detroit rolling in the first two meetings, I like tonight's matchup for the Wizards. Kevin Seraphin took 26 shots in the first two meetings. Jordan Crawford took 36 shots. Cartier Martin attempted 12 threes for some reason. Needless to say, things are in a much better place now. This has the makings of a game where both teams end up scoring in the mid-80s, but this is a game the Wizards should be able to pull out, as long as Crawford doesn't get too excited to play in front of his home team.
Where can I find out more about the Pistons? Visit Detroit Bad Boys.