Pistons vs. Bulls: Derrick Rose ready for the spotlight on his return home

Derrick Rose has been killing it for the Detroit Pistons, and he returns home tonight to face the Chicago Bulls looking to carry Detroit’s offense to a victory. The Pistons have been marginally competitive but have mostly scuffled without Blake Griffin and Reggie Jackson in the lineup. Rose has done everything he can and more, but he’ll need someone, ANYONE, else to step up and secure a much-needed win.

Chicago, meanwhile, is just straight up lost. Zach Lavine and Lauri Markkanen are putting up points but doing nothing else. And Otto Porter is in perhaps the worst stretch of his career. Nothing cures struggling offense like a porous defense and both these teams are bad on that end of the floor.

Game Vitals

When: 8 p.m. EST
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Watch: Fox Sports Detroit+

Analysis

As someone who was fully aboard the Chicago Bulls bandwagon, I’m not sure what to stay about their dreadful 1-4 start and performance on both sides of the ball. It’s just ugly in the early goings. It doesn’t mean they are not talented, however, and it doesn’t mean that the Pistons can take them lightly.

Zach LaVine could pull a Trae Young and put up 45. Wendell Carter still looks very much like one of the best young two-way big men in the league. and Lauri Markenanen can light it up from deep and give the big men attempting to guard him fits.

So why are they so bad? Well, in LaVine and Lauri’s case, I only mentioned scoring because that seems like all they are equipped to do, and they can’t seem to do it with any efficiency. And they are being dragged down by the struggles of their teammates. Too many rotation players have sub-50 true shooting percentages: Kris Dunn (TS 39.6%), the usually lethal Otto Porter (TS 44.3%), Tomas Satoransky (TS 45.2%) and the aforementioned Markkanen (49.8%).

The bulls are also the second-worst defensive rebounding team in the league and struggle to get easy points at the free-throw line.

If there is one specific red flag worth pointing to it’s turnovers. They have been the biggest part of Detroit’s overall struggles in the season’s first five games, and the Bulls generate 11.6 turnovers per game (second in the NBA).

Detroit, meanwhile, hopes to make it a roaring homecoming for Derrick Rose. He’ll have to match up against Dunn, who is a good defender at the point guard position, but it doesn’t seem like much has stopped Rose so far. And, personally, I think we are primed for an explosion under this intense spotlight. I’m not going to predict a second 50-point showing in as many seasons for Rose but I am rooting for a huge game from him.

It’d also be nice if another former Bull, Tony Snell, could get untracked tonight. Snell’s a great fourth option but he’s been largely invisible with Detroit absent the firepower of Jackson and Griffin.

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons

Tim Frazier, Luke Kennard, Tony Snell, Markieff Morris, Andre Drummond

Chicago Bulls

Tomas Satoransky, Zach LaVine, Otto Porter, Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter

Question of the Day

How many points is Rose putting up tonight?