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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
- For a sense of how ugly it’s been recently in Indiana, check out the Indy Cornrows recap of the Nets loss — Indy Cornrows
- The great Chris Herring at 538 breaks down the hidden evolution of Myles Turner’s game — 538
- Here’s what Detroit Pistons are looking for from new point guard Dennis Smith Jr. — Detroit Free Press
- If you’re curious how our friend Nicolas Henkel dressed for his interview on ESPN’s streaming pregame show after going viral for a beer shower. Well, he didn’t dress at all.