Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons
Yesterday at 03:00 AM
San Antonio looks to sweep their double-header in Austin.
The San Antonio Spurs' first game in the final stretch without Victor Wembanyama went about as well as it could have. The Spurs dominated the Phoenix Suns with stellar defense, wicked-fast pace, and clutch play from De'Aaron Fox down the stretch. Now, they'll look to make it two straight wins as they face the Detroit Pistons in Austin.
The Pistons are no longer the bottom-dwellers they've been for years. They are firmly in the NBA Playoff race, 6th in the Eastern Conference standings. Cade Cunningham is an All-Star, and Detroit has plenty of exciting young role players next to him. They're a more well-rounded team than the star-studded Suns. Detroit is a top-10 team in defensive rating, so the Spurs will need to keep up their hot shooting from Thursday night to earn their second-straight victory.
San Antonio Spurs (24-29) at Detroit Pistons (29-26)
February 21st, 2025 | 7:30 PM CT
Watch: KENS5 | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: The injury report does not need to be filed until 1 p.m. CT
Pistons Injuries: Jaden Ivey – Out (fibula), Bobi Klintman – Out (G League), Ron Harper Jr. – Out (G League), Daniss Jenkins – Out (G League), Tolu Smith – Out (G League)
What to watch for:
Dictating the pace
The Spurs found success against the Suns when they got out and ran. They are a smaller team without Wembanyama on the floor, even with Bismack Biyombo. Detroit is 13th in the NBA in pace. They have several high-level athletes, but they are at their best when Cunningham is working the pick-and-roll in the half-court. San Antonio should look to push the pace offensively by pressuring the Pistons defensively so they can force turnovers and create fast break opportunities.
Defend the three-point line
The Pistons used to be plagued by a lack of floor spacing. Now, they are one of the better three-point shooting teams in the league. Detroit shoots 36% from three and has several players that can hurt you with outside shooting. San Antonio allows teams to hit just under 14 threes a game against them. They'll need to focus on getting out to shooters if they want to compete with the Pistons.
Disruptive defense
The Pistons are a turnover-prone squad. They cough up the rock 15.4 times per game (22nd in the NBA). San Antonio is coming off a game in which they turned over the Suns 18 times. If the Spurs come with the same energetic and disruptive force, they can give themselves an advantage in the possession battle and turn the tides in their favor.
