Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards Game Preview
The 1-2 Pistons are coming off an uninspiring 115-124 loss against the Pacers. Likewise, the Wizards also lost their previous contest against a remarkable Cavaliers team - now falling to 2-1. Both teams will look to get back on track tonight against a familiar Eastern Conference foe. However, the Wizards have the edge here, not to mention that Washington swept the Pistons in a four-game regular season series last year.
How To Watch:
When: 7:00 PM EST
Where: Capitol One Arena
TV: Bally Sports Detroit, NBA League Pass
Guard Battle:
Look for an exciting matchup between Cade and Bradley Beal - as this will be the second-year stud's first legitimate defensive challenge this season. A natural scorer and facilitator, Beal is sitting at 23.0 PPG and 6.3 APG off an incredible 61.7% shooting from the field. His ability to quarterback his team's offense has been more evident this season - nearly every possession starts with him despite not being the primary ball-handler. Dwayne Casey may have to draw up double teams with Ivey and Cade to hinder his skillful play.
The Wizards' half-court offense is scary, and with the lengthy supporting cast of Porzingis, Kuzma, and Hachimura, who are shooting 38.9, 40.0, and 50.0% from three, respectively, this matchup presents itself as quite the challenge.
Cade is coming off his best performance so far this season, and it would be unfair to keep him out of the discussion here. He is still settling into his role and establishing his fit with the new faces on the Pistons roster. Regardless, he will need to flip his "passive-to-aggressive" switch much earlier if Detroit stands any chance against the Wizards tonight. Scoring will come in bunches for the opposition, and the earlier Cade takes the wheels and stays hot, the more likely the Pistons will stay in this game down the stretch.
