Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls Prediction & Match Preview - February 17, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls will renew one of the fiercest rivalries of the 80s when they meet at the United Center on Wednesday. The Pistons and the Bulls may not be title contenders nowadays, but that doesn’t mean that these meetings won’t be as heated.
Despite their record, these two teams are well-coached and are among the most competitive in the league. The Detroit Pistons have won three of their last four games, including two in a row. Two of the teams they defeated, are title contenders - Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics.
The Chicago Bulls have won 3 of their previous five games, with the last one being a 120-112 overtime win against the Indiana Pacers.
Match Details
Fixture - Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls | 2020-21 NBA Season
Date & Time - Wednesday, February 17th, 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, February 18th, 6:30 AM IST)
Venue - United Center, Chicago, IL
Detroit Pistons Preview
The Detroit Pistons defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 123-112 in their last outing with a balanced scoring all around. Six players scored at least 15 points for the Pistons, who nearly beat the defending champions LA Lakers two weekends ago in a double-overtime game.
Despite their 8-19 record, this Detroit Pistons squad is a team that no one wants to face, and the Chicago Bulls would do well to prepare hard for this matchup. It will be a dogfight for both teams when they face each other on Wednesday.
Key Player - Jerami Grant
With Blake Griffin sitting this game out because of trade and buyout conversations behind the scenes, it’s up to Jerami Grant to carry the load. Rookie Saddiq Bey has been playing well of late, which makes Grant’s job much easier.
Though the Detroit Pistons are winning, Grant has played below his usual standards. In the past three games, he averaged a mere 13.0 points on 27.1 percent field-goal shooting. Grant has to get his act together because the Pistons can’t win many games with him playing poorly.
Detroit Pistons Predicted Lineup
G Delon Wright G Wayne Ellington F Saddiq Bey F Jerami Grant C Mason Plumlee
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls have alternated between wins and losses the past two weeks. They will have to break this habit if they want to win Wednesday’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons. The Bulls won their last game but they wouldn’t want to follow their recent trend.
They are a middle-of-the-pack team, 17th in offensive rating and 19th in defensive rating. The Bulls will probably need a major trade to reach their true potential. Nevertheless, they still have a good-looking backcourt duo in Coby White and Zach LaVine that can cause plenty of problems for the opposition.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
Speaking of Zach LaVine, the Chicago Bulls guard has developed into one of the most lethal offensive forces in the game today and he’s getting even better. Over his last six games, LaVine has put up averages of 33.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.
If he’s hot, which he often is these days, LaVine can scorch the nets and keep the Bulls in the game. The Detroit Pistons’ Delon Wright and Wayne Ellington may not be enough to stop him. If things get interesting, Jerami Grant might be able to contain him during stretches.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G Coby White G Zach LaVine F Brandon Ingram F Patrick Williams C Wendell Carter Jr.
Pistons vs Bulls Match Prediction
The Detroit Pistons have shown amazing adaptability to changes in their lineup. Even after losing two of their top scorers in Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin for different reasons, the Pistons have found ways to win.
In contrast, the Chicago Bulls have yet to show a level of consistency in their play that would warrant real confidence that they can win regularly.
The Detroit Pistons are likely to win this match much to the chagrin of Chicago Bulls fans.
Where to Watch Pistons vs Bulls?
The game between the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls will be televised locally by FOX Sports Detroit and NBC Sports Chicago. For international viewers, the matchup will be shown live via NBA League Pass.
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