GAME TIME: 5:30 PM ET
Memphis: 11-28 (9-13 Home)
Margin: -5.9 ppg
Last 10: 1-9 (margin -8.0)
Pistons: 22-17 (10-10 Road)
Margin: -0.1 ppg
Last 10: 4-6 (margin -2.2)
Oppo research:
There wasn't much to recommend about James Earl Ray, but thanks to TNT's arbitrary homage to MLK, we can thank him for the first nationally televised Pistons game in awhile. If we're lucky, Memphis will also become known as the site of the death of small ball, though the celebration of that particular anniversary would be somewhat more parochial in scope.
MLK > MCIAFI. I don't even need PER to prove it.
Oh yeah, the Grizzlies. Um, I wish they were in our conference. They don't do anything well. Mike Conley has been a tremendous disappointment, and is simply taking minutes from Kyle Lowry at this point. Rudy Gay has been solid, but clearly misses having Mike Miller to distract defenses. Darko is still Darko.
Memphis fans are rightly excited about rookies O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol, but their most productive player has been Hakim Warrick. That Warrick doesn't start for this team is rather baffling. Rookie Darrell Arthur has been surprisingly bad and Warrick is young enough to build around, so I don't get it.
In truth Mayo is a uni-dimensional player at this point in his career. He is a solid shooter who also turns the ball over a lot for someone who seldom passes. In this respect, he's kind of a Rudy Gay clone.
The Drama:
Coach Curry has intimated that a loss today might signal the end of small ball. Go Memphis!
Keys for Detroit:
Writing out keys for a team that is using entirely the wrong lineup is like a doctor handing a food pyramid to a patient who is in cardiac arrest. Besides, it's Memphis. This team is giving minutes to Darius Miles and Greg Buckner. The key to beating these guys? Don't do stupid things. Simple.
Question of the game:
Will Tayshaun play? Otherwise, we may have to delay the death of small ball. That's a heck of a streak he's got riding on this, though. It would be a shame if it ended now.