Previewing Pistons lineup ahead of Mavericks' road matchup

Detroit is one of the most improved teams in the NBA this season.

Keenan Womack | Jan 31, 2025

Jan 29, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts to fan during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

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Tonight, the Dallas Mavericks continue their five-game road trip, facing the Pistons tonight at Little Caesar's Arena in Detroit at 6 PM CST. Known generally as one of the bottom-dwellers of the NBA the past five seasons, the Pistons are vastly improved this year over last season, thanks much in part to the performance of star point guard Cade Cunningham, a Dallas-area product that went first overall in the 2021 Draft out of Oklahoma State.

Though they will be down power forward Isaiah Stewart after the NBA handed him a one-game suspension, the Pistons are still a team with much more cohesion than previous years' iterations. Outside of the aforementioned Cunningham, who is averaging 25.0 points and 9.3 assists per game, guard Malik Beasley (16.4 points) has stepped up after the injury to Jaden Ivey. This backcourt has been very effective this season in getting to the rim, and with Cunningham's superstar ability to score and distribute, Beasley can play off the ball and get easier looks from the perimeter as well.

The small forward position will feature a familiar face in Tim Hardaway Jr., a former Maverick who was dealt to the Pistons in the Quentin Grimes deal this past offseason. Hardaway Jr. is putting up 10.9 points on 37.8% from beyond the arc in 28.5 minutes per game and has helped Detroit with their spacing by being a shooter who can hit shots from deep. By bringing him in, the Pistons addressed a problem that has plagued this franchise for years now: an inability to shoot threes. He has helped out with this situation.

The frontcourt will be a combination of forward Tobias Harris (12.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists) and center Jalen Duren (10.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks), who have differing strengths in their various roles. Harris, in his 13th season in the NBA, has lost a step athletically, but still possesses some level of skill on the interior and is a capable rebounder. Duren is a high-powered athlete that can physically dominate in the paint and is one of the top rebounders in the Eastern Conference. Duren's defense also makes him a valuable player, one that can hold down the paint and be a deterrent.

The bench unit will feature wings Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II, guards Marcus Sasser and Wendell Moore Jr., and forward Simone Fontecchio. Missing Stewart is a bit of a bigger deal for the Pistons because they are not deep at the center position, with Stewart and Duren being the only true post players on the roster. Because of that, Detroit may have to run smaller lineups, similar to what the Mavericks have had to do in Dereck Lively II's absence.

While this game would typically be marked up as win before it even started given the opponent, this PIstons team is no pushover, even when down a starter. If Dallas allows Detroit to dictate the pace of the game or lets Cunningham knife through the defense and allow him to create at the rim, they may be in trouble, and in jeopardy of dropping to 1-1 on the road trip so far.

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Published Jan 31, 2025|Modified Jan 31, 2025

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.