Once Upon A Time in America Betting Show
The (9-28) Detroit Pistons and (16-19) Minnesota Timberwolves are facing off on Saturday at Target Center. The Pistons, 4-15 on the road this season, defeated Orlando 121-101 on Wednesday and play Chicago on Friday. The T-Wolves, 9-8 at home, lost 119-118 to New Orleans on Wednesday and play at Milwaukee on Friday. Detroit and Minnesota have not met yet this season but will play twice over the next two weeks.
Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Timberwolves are eight-point spread favorites, and the game total is 231.5 points.
The Pistons snapped a six-game losing streak with their win over the Magic, but that wasn't the headline from Wednesday's game. Three players were ejected, including Orlando's Mo Wagner and Detroit's Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo, and the NBA suspended 11 players involved in a brawl between the teams.
Hayes and Wagner received multi-game suspensions for their roles in the scuffle, which began when Wagner hip-checked Hayes into the Pistons' bench. Hayes responded by punching Wagner in the back of the head, which appeared to knock him out briefly. Diallo will be eligible to play on Saturday, but Hayes will not. The Pistons are already without Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Livers, and Marvin Bagley III is questionable for Saturday's game with an illness.
Detroit shot 45.0 percent from the floor and 18-for-42 (42.9%) from three-point range in the home victory. The Piston s also scored 31 points at the foul line and 18 points off turnovers. Orlando outrebounded Detroit and scored 54 points in the paint but couldn't keep pace after the Pistons' 39-point second quarter. Shooting guard Alec Burks paced the team with 32 points on 10-for-11 shooting.
Secured the win at ?? last night
Here's a recap as @SaddiqBey and @AlecBurks10 combined for 60 points off the bench??#Pistons Playback | @wingstop pic.twitter.com/5Twp2sgBRJ
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 29, 2022
The Pistons score 111.4 points per game and shoot 44.8 percent from the field, including 35.0 percent from three. Their offensive rating, adjusted for opponent, is 24th in the league, and their effective field goal percentage (51.4%) is fourth-lowest, per Dunks and Threes. Small forward Bojan Bogdanovic leads Detroit in scoring at 20.7 points per game.
The Pistons surrender 118.5 points per game on 48.6 percent shooting, including 35.6 percent from long range. Their defensive rating is second-worst, and their opponents' effective field goal percentage (55.4%) is the sixth-highest. Detroit is ranked 27th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.51).
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