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Pistons vs. Pacers GameThread: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

The Dennis Smith Jr. experience begins tonight — let’s hope it is a pleasant beginning

Orlando Magic v New York Knicks Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Detroit Pistons fans will gets their first look at new backup point guard Dennis Smith Jr. tonight against the Indiana Pacers. Smith had so fallen out of favor in New York under new head coach Tom Thibodeau that the fourth-year guard asked the team to send him to the G League bubble just so he could get some time on the floor. In total, Smith played 28 minutes and scored 9 points across three games. That’s a positively Blake Griffin-esque total.

In Detroit, he’ll take Derrick Rose’s spot as backup point guard. He’s got plenty of holes in his game and is much more of a scorer than a guard who gets others involved. Still, he’s 23 years old, and Detroit provides an opportunity for a fresh start. Tonight, we get a chance to see what he has to offer.

Game Vitals

When: 8 p.m. EST
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Fox Sports Detroit
Odds: Pistons +2

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (6-18)

Delon Wright, Wayne Ellington, Jerami Grant, Blake Griffin, Mason Plumlee

Indiana Pacers (12-13)

Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday, Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis

Pregame Reading