San Antonio Spurs vs Detroit Pistons: Prediction & Match Preview - March 15th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
NBA 2020-21 action continues with the San Antonio Spurs taking on the Detroit Pistons at the Little Caesars Arena on Monday.
The San Antonio Spurs are in the mix for a postseason berth, thanks to a 19-16 record in a highly competitive Western Conference. The Detroit Pistons, meanwhile, have the worst record in the East and are headed towards the NBA Draft lottery.
Match Details
Fixture: San Antonio Spurs vs Detroit Pistons | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Monday, March 15th; 8:00 PM ET (Tuesday, March 15th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.
San Antonio Spurs Preview
The San Antonio Spurs are coming off a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers in their last outing. Gregg Popovich's team has been going through a rough patch of form, winning just two of their last six fixtures. However, the San Antonio Spurs have been a stable outfit defensively, managing a defensive rating of 110.6 this season.
Youngsters Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson have looked in fine touch this campaign, putting up 15.6 and 13.8 points per game, respectively. Murray has been clutch in all the phases of the game, averaging 5.2 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per match.
Key Player - DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan narrowly missed the NBA All-Star game this year despite averaging 20 points and 7.3 assists, along with a steal every match. He has shot a decent 49% from the field and leads the San Antonio Spurs in both points and assists.
The Detroit Pistons have arguably been the worst team in the league this season. So DeMar DeRozan will have an opportunity to pad his stats when the two sides meet at the Little Caesars Arena on Monday.
San Antonio Spurs Predicted Lineup
G - Dejounte Murray, G - Derrick White, F - DeMar DeRozan, F - Keldon Johnson, C - Jakob Poeltl.
Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat continue to knock on Toronto Raptors' door for Kyle Lowry's services.
Detroit Pistons Preview
The Detroit Pistons have been astonishingly poor this season, failing to get going at either end of the court. They have the sixth-worst offense in the league this campaign, with an offensive rating of 108.5. Their defense fared better in the first few weeks of the season but has regressed since then, which is evident in the team's below-average defensive rating of 112.5.
The Detroit Pistons have lost their last three games. So head coach Dwayne Casey will have to conjure a win on the night to ensure his team doesn't get into a slump.
Key Player - Jerami Grant
Jerami Grant has been one of the best off-season acquisitions this season, as he has put up an impressive tally of 23.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game for the Detroit Pistons. He has carried the Pistons' offense on his shoulders, as no other player has managed to average more than 13 points per outing.
Grant has also dominated proceedings at the defensive end. So it is safe to say that the Detroit Pistons chances of winning this game will hinge on his performance.
Detroit Pistons Predicted Lineup
G - Delon Wright, G - Josh Jackson, F - Saddiq Bey, F - Jerami Grant, C - Mason Plumlee.
Spurs vs Pistons Match Prediction
Despite their poor recent form, the San Antonio Spurs are the favorites going into this game. The Detroit Pistons are arguably the worst team in the league, so this game should see the Spurs returning to winning ways, owing to the balanced nature of their starting lineup.
Where to watch Spurs vs Pistons?
The local coverage of the San Antonio Spurs-Detroit Pistons game will be on Fox Sports South-West San Antonio and Fox Sports Detroit. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Also, Read: NBA Trade Rumors: OKC Thunder open to moving veteran trio before the deadline for draft picks.