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Pistons Sharpshooter in Danger of Missing Matchup vs Raptors

The Pistons could be down a bench player against the Raptors.
Justin Grasso|
Nov 8, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (19) moves the ball up court next to Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) during the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (19) moves the ball up court next to Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) during the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

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Detroit PistonsToronto Raptors

Friday night serves as an opportunity for the Detroit Pistons to bounce back after a dramatic overtime loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Will the veteran sharpshooter Simone Fontecchio be a part of the action?

According to the Pistons, Fontecchio’s availability is doubtful.

Once again, popping up on the injury report, Fontecchio is known to be dealing with a toe injury. He was officially diagnosed with a sprain earlier this week.

Through his first full season with the Pistons, Fontecchio has been a key reserve for the team. He appeared in Detroit’s first 12 games. When the Pistons paid a visit to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Fontecchio was ruled out for the first time this season.

Without Fontecchio and others available, the Pistons’ rotation saw some notable changes on Wednesday. The rookie Ron Holland joined the veteran Malik Beasley in getting a promotion to the starting five. Meanwhile, Wendell Moore and Marcus Sasser collected some playing time off the bench.

Leading up to the Bucks matchup, Fontecchio was averaging 19 minutes of action in 12 games. He produced six points per game on 37 percent shooting from the field. While Fontecchio has made a name for himself as a proven three-point shooting threat, he’s been struggling in that department as of late, knocking down just 32 percent of his attempts on three attempts per game.

Last year, the Pistons acquired Fontecchio from the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline. After a 50-game run in Utah last season, Fontecchio had a chance to play his final 16 games with the Pistons before going down with an injury. Fontecchio produced 15 points on 43 percent shooting from deep.

Detroit knows Fontecchio’s consistency from three exists. He just hasn’t had the chance to hit stride yet this year. Now that a toe injury is in play, it could take some more time before Fontecchio gets back on the right path.

The Pistons and the Raptors will tip-off at 7 PM ET.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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