Pistons vs. Pacers Preview: Detroit Pistons Officially Get to Leave Last Season Behind Starting with Season-Opener vs. Indiana Pacers
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2021-22 season in which they finished with a 23-59 record. The Pistons have a lot of young talent, led by Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Cunningham averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game last season and was named to the All-Rookie First Team. Other key players for the Pistons include Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, and Jaden Ivey. Bey averaged 12.7 points per game last season and shot 38.0% from three-point range. Stewart is a tough, physical rebounder who averaged 8.3 rebounds per game last season. Ivey is a dynamic guard who was drafted fifth overall by the Pistons in the 2022 NBA draft. The Pistons have a lot of potential, but they are still a young team and they will need to improve their consistency in order to make a playoff push this season.
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are also looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2021-22 season in which they finished with a 25-57 record. The Pacers have a lot of young talent, led by Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton was acquired by the Pacers in a trade with the Sacramento Kings in February and he quickly became one of the team's best players. He averaged 17.5 points, 9.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game in 26 games with the Pacers. Other key players for the Pacers include Buddy Hield, Myles Turner, and Bennedict Mathurin. Hield is a dynamic shooting guard who averaged 18.2 points per game last season. Turner is a talented shot-blocker who averaged 2.8 blocks per game last season. Mathurin is a rookie who was drafted sixth overall by the Pacers in the 2022 NBA draft. The Pacers have a lot of potential, but they are still a young team and they will need to improve their defense in order to make a playoff push this season.
Matchup
The Pistons and Pacers are both young teams with a lot of potential. This should be a competitive matchup, and it will be interesting to see which team can make a playoff push this season.
Prediction
The Pistons are the slight favorites in this matchup, but the Pacers should be able to keep it close. I predict the Pistons to win by a score of 105-100.
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