The Detroit Pistons head to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat in the season opener for both teams. The Pistons come off a challenging season that saw the team win just 17 games but fail to earn the coveted #1 pick that would have netted them generational talent Victor Wembanyama. The Heat finished the regular season with a mediocre 44-38 record that earned them a stop in the play-in round of the NBA playoffs. They would go on to defeat the Bucks, Knicks, and Celtics before falling to the Nuggets in the NBA Finals. The opening tap on Wednesday night is set for 7:30 PM EST.
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The Detroit Pistons head into the 2023-24 season hoping to build upon a disappointing 17 wins last season in what was an injury-marred season. The Pistons lost star guard and former #1 overall pick Cade Cunningham to injury early and finished with 65 losses, the second-worst total in franchise history. The team will be led by Cunningham along with fellow guard Jaden Ivey. The duo should give the Pistons an offensively dynamic backcourt and two players capable of playmaking as well as scoring. The Pistons lost out on the #1 pick but did add forward Ausar Thompson, a 20-year-old taken with the fifth overall pick in the draft. Thompson is skillful on both ends of the court and should make a young, athletic team even more athletic. The Pistons hope that another youngster, Jalen Duren, makes further progress at center in his second season. Still just 19 years old, Duren averaged nearly a double-double last season in his rookie year. The Pistons still can't escape injury, however, with veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic out for at least the first four weeks with a calf injury. Bogdanovic, 34, averaged a career-high 21.6 points last season for the Pistons. The Pistons biggest acquisition this offseason may be the signing of former NBA Coach of the Year Monty Williams. Williams was fired by the Suns this offseason and quickly scooped up by the Pistons.
“I thought it was the best-case scenario, I couldn’t have been happier…he’s the perfect person for us…for us to be able to learn from him and take it to the next level.” Cunningham said about the hiring of Williams.
The Pistons' hope that their rebuild takes a big leap this year with a young team under the tutelage of Williams. Along with youngsters like Cunningham, Ivey, Thompson, and Duren, the Pistons have another first round pick in former Houston Cougar guard Marcus Sasser. Williams will have his hands full trying to work with one of the league's youngest rosters, especially with Bogdanovic out for at least a month. Last season, the Pistons were 27th in points allowed per game, 26th in opponent's shooting percentage and 18th in opponent's 3-point shooting percentage. The Pistons offense should improve greatly with Cunningham healthy and ready to distribute the ball. Last year, without Cunningham for much of the season, Detroit finished 29th in points per game and last in shooting percentage.
Key Injuries: G/F Bogdanovic (calf), PF Isaiah Livers (anke) and PG Monte Morris (quad strain) are all out.
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