Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls Prediction & Match Preview - January 11th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Detroit Pistons are mired in a long losing slump against the Chicago Bulls. [Photo: NBA.com]

The Detroit Pistons are hoping to get their first win of the season series against the Chicago Bulls when they meet again on Tuesday. This is the rescheduled NBA game that was supposed to happen on December 14, 2021, but was postponed due to the Bulls’ Covid-19 outbreak.

Despite being undermanned by injuries and health protocols, the Detroit Pistons have been turning heads of late for good reason. They are 4-2 in their last six games, including surprise wins over the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks and Utah Jazz.

The youthful core, whose development has been fast-tracked due to adversity, will be counted on again against the best team in the East.

🏀 FINAL SCORE THREAD 🏀

Cade Cunningham scores a career-high and the @DetroitPistons sink a season-best 19 3PM in their comeback win!

Cade Cunningham: 29 PTS, 8 AST, 5 3PM
Saddiq Bey: 29 PTS, 6 REB, 5 3PM
Donovan Mitchell: 31 PTS, 4 AST
Hassan Whiteside: 21 PTS, 14 REB https://t.co/KG0sH0Kktg

The Chicago Bulls had their season-best nine-game winning streak snapped after a loss to the Dallas Mavericks. For the first time in almost two months, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine have looked mortal, which led to the disappointing loss.

Billy Donovan’s team had a big first quarter to open the game, but could not sustain their efforts. Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams will still be missing, but they have risen to the top of the East despite injuries and virus protocols. They’ll be heavily favored against the Detroit Pistons.

Match Details

Fixture: Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Tuesday, January 11th; 8:00 PM ET (Wednesday, January 12th; 6:30 AM IST)

Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL

Detroit Pistons Preview

The Detroit Pistons' patience on their young core is beginning to bear fruit. [Photo: Detroit Bad Boys]

Adversity has greatly hastened the development of the Detroit Pistons' young and promising players. Saddiq Bey and Cade Cunningham have been playing very well in the last few games and are only just scratching the surface of their games.

Without Jerami Grant in the lineup, the Pistons have turned to last year’s No.1 overall draft pick, Cade Cunningham, and sophomore sensation Saddiq Bey. The seemingly forgotten Hamidou Diallo is also another player who has gained the most out of the crippling Detroit Pistons crisis.

The team is starting to believe in themselves and could play the spoiler for the rest of the season.

Key Player - Cade Cunningham

The Detroit Pistons drafted Cade Cunningham as the face of the franchise. While he began with one of the worst starts in NBA history, he has shown why the team put so much faith in him. Cunningham was ruthless and efficient against the Utah Jazz in their win.

He scored a season-high 29 points, 18 of which came in the third quarter where they annihilated the Jazz 40-23. Utah had no answer for him as he displayed his all-around game. His eight assists for the night were only a glimpse of how he controlled the game.

Cade Cunningham vs the Jazz:

29 PTS (career high)
8 AST
2 STL
2 BLK
5 3PT
W https://t.co/xMCNxb9mTp

The Detroit Pistons overcame a huge 22-point lead behind Cunningham’s leadership and relentless energy.

Detroit Pistons Predicted Lineup

G - Killian Hayes | G - Cade Cunningham | F - Hamidou Diallo | F - Saddiq Bey | C - Isaiah Stewart

Chicago Bulls Preview

The Chicago Bull's electric duo of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine were silenced by the Dallas Mavericks' defense. [Photo: NBA.com]

The Chicago Bulls looked nothing like their usual dominant selves in their 113-99 loss against the Dallas Mavericks. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic were horrible from the field. The All-Star duo finished with a combined 13-38 shooting from the field. The next-man-up mentality that has defined their season was glaringly absent in this loss.

A quiet night across the roster should be the prime reason for the Chicago Bulls to bounce back against a team they have thoroughly dominated in their last 13 matchups. If they can bring their usual hustle and energy even if their shots don’t fall, they’ll still be a problem for the young Pistons team.

Key Player - DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan has consistently been in MVP conversations for good reason. DeRozan has gained a new nickname this season - the King of the Fourth Quarter.

However, he has been sizzling hot in pivotal periods back in the 2020 bubble. It’s only this campaign with the Chicago Bulls that his clutch performances have grabbed the attention of the media.

Killer mentality 💯 @DeMar_DeRozan

(h/t @ctsbulls) https://t.co/tO5ptefC7O

The Chicago Bulls are third in the NBA in fourth-quarter team scoring this season with 28.1 per game thanks mainly to the former All-Star. He is averaging 26.4 points this season, his highest in five years. His 35.2% shooting from three-point distance has really expanded the game despite being the mid-range maestro of the NBA.

Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup

G - Lonzo Ball | G - Zach LaVine | F - DeMar DeRozan | F - Derrick Jones Jr. | C - Nikola Vucevic

Pistons vs Bulls Match Prediction

The Chicago Bulls have literally owned the Detroit Pistons in their last 13 matchups. They are heavily favored to extend their series streak, but will surely encounter stiff resistance from the proud Motor City team.

If the Chicago Bulls come out with their usual game, there’s no denying them.

Where to watch the Pistons vs Bulls game

The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Local coverage of the matchup is available via NBC Sports Chicago and Bally Sports Detroit.