What do you do about a bad team that is coming off a great win, and in fact, a decisive win on top of that?
How will they handle bouncing back from that? And how will they contend with an opponent that is looking for some redemption after laying down in its last game?
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We’re about to explore this in our Saturday NBA play, which you can bet with plenty of other options at BetOnline.
Detroit Pistons vs. Golden State Warriors Preview
Pistons vs. Warriors Predictions
Tip-off: 10:05 PM ET
NBA Betting Line: Warriors -5.5, Total 224.5
The Detroit Pistons are one of those NBA teams that hasn’t done much in recent years, no matter who the coach is, and they seem to forever be in some kind of “rebuilding” mode. In fact, in a league where more than half the teams reach the post-season, they have been to the playoffs just twice in the last eleven seasons.
But now they are coming off a win over the Los Angeles Lakers in which, in the second half, THEY looked like the defending NBA champs while LeBron & Co. looked like the crew that had been beaten down mentally and physically.
Consider that Detroit held the Lakers to just 34 points in the entire second half, with one stretch where L.A. went just under seven minutes without a single point.
It’s one of those victories that tends to build team morale. But what often happens with bad teams is that they get overwhelmed by the moment, or get caught reading their press clippings and are flat the next time out.
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Which will it be for the guys from the Motor City?
Blake Griffin had 23 points against the Lakers, but the power forward is just a shell of his former self, and you’re not going to see him playing in back-to-back situations. Of course, the same can be said of Derrick Rose, who as a dominant force is more or less is finished, yet has the team’s highest “Usage” figure for the time he spends on the floor.
So if you are wondering why the Pistons are 5-14 (albeit 11-8 against the number), it’s because they are playing the “nostalgia” game perhaps a little too much.
Don’t get us wrong; there are some useful parts here. Jerami Grant is a major contributor (23.8 ppg), as is Mason Plumlee, who is probably underestimated by a lot of people. We think Josh Jackson has a chance to be a star someday.
And then you’ve got some rookies like Saddiq Bey of Villanova, and Killian Hayes, who played pro ball in France (and is out for a while with a hip injury).
And then there is Isaiah Stewart, who came in on the back half of the first round but has played like he has Dennis Rodman or Draymond Green channeling through him. If Stewart qualified with enough minutes played, he would be third in the league in offensive rebounding percentage, just ahead of Andre Drummond, who made his living, and quite a reputation, pulling down caroms at both ends for the Pistons, before being traded to Cleveland.
So maybe Stewart should be playing more minutes. Whad’ya think?
Dwane Casey, who had some success coaching in Toronto, would be making those decisions. His dilemma is that his team is being outshot roughly 48%-43%, and although they are kind of liberal with triples, they obviously aren’t throwing enough down to make the difference.
Detroit followed up each of its previous four victories with a loss, although a couple of those games were competitive.
My guess is that they won’t catch Golden State napping. The Golden State Warriors put forth a non-effort the other night in the desert, losing a 114-93 decision to the Suns. A lot of their key people went cold. The aforementioned Green went 1-for-7. Kelly Oubre was a horrific 1-for-11. James Wiseman, who had been so impressive in the previous game, was 2-for-9.
It’s been suggested that Oubre was trying too hard playing against Phoenix, his former club. Well, this is the NBA and it’s a team game, and maybe Oubre can take his personal battles to another city. There have been trade rumors.
But basically the Warriors were a tired team, playing the second end of a back-to-back. They weren’t fighting on the boards. They were settling for jump shots. And they preferred fouling to playing defense (Devin Booker went to the line 23 times!).
Golden State is 7-4 at home, which is more than respectable. They can be counted on for a more honest effort. And for the most part, they are a feisty defensive team since Green came back from an injury. So we don;t have any problem laying the points.
The Play: GOLDEN STATE -5.5