The Detroit Pistons dropped a close one to the Utah Jazz, then the Jazz turned around and beat the San Antonio Spurs on a back-to-back. That’s the league for you.

The Pistons can get back on track against the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. The Clippers looked like a tanking squad, but they have a pulse now.

Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have the Clippers playing their best ball of the season, but they’re still a dreadful transition and defensive team.

Defensively, it’s a challenge to get back for LA. Offensively, the Clippers are efficient in transition but dead last in how often they get on the break. Those flaws are something Detroit should aim to exploit.

Where: Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, California

Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit

Detroit had 18 fast break points against the Jazz — identical to their season average. There will be more chances against the Clippers.

LA’s transition defense issues didn’t start this year. The coaching staff believed transition defense was the main culprit in their first-round series loss to the Denver Nuggets last year. These shirts haven’t made a difference at all.

The Clippers rank 27th in opponent fast-break points. That’s a perfect recipe for the young guns in Detroit. Make this a game of youth and legs. Force the older guys to run.

37-year-old Brook Lopez has started the last two games, and it’s safe to say he’s made an impact. He buried *nine* 3s in their last outing. He’s been the ultimate 3-and-D big in the second portion of his career. Another game to track Jalen Duren’s play against stretch bigs. I’d say he’s been much better in those matchups than years past.

Foul trouble limited Duren against the Jazz, so he should be fired up, ready to abuse the Clippers. With Ivica Zubac out for the foreseeable future, Lopez is the only center on this Clippers roster with extended NBA experience. We need dominant Duren.

Harden has turned back the clock, averaging 26.3 points — his highest average since he averaged 34 in 2020. He’s a special player. All the special guys draw Ausar Thompson, and twin is coming off a brief 15-minute outing. I’d bet he’s eager to get back on the floor immediately.

Ty Lue-led Clippers teams can usually count on having a good to great defense. Not this year. Their overall defense is as bad as their transition D. The Clippers are the 28th-ranked defense on the season with garbage time filtered out.

They’ve played better the last two weeks (3-2 record, No. 7 offense), but their defense is still below league average during their best stretch of basketball.

This used to be a matchup where I’d think “yeah, they have the defensive infrastructure to muck it up for Cade”. I’m not there anymore, as the want-to and personnel aren’t the same for the little brothers in LA. Cade will be out for blood looking to avenge that last-second miss in Salt Lake City.

Kawhi Leonard can ramp up the defense in big moments, but he’s not his 2014 self anymore. It’s just good to see him on the floor. He’s averaging 26 a game like Harden, but Kawhi is shooting a bonkers 98.2 percent from the FT line. José Calderón holds the all-time record at 98.1 percent. Kawhi is more than in range.

All in all, the Pistons have a lot of things working in their favor in this matchup. Force the Clippers to run and score when advantageous opportunities present themselves. These Clippers aren’t a heavy second effort team — the antithesis of these Pistons.

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Los Angeles Clippers (9-21)

James Harden, Kris Dunn, Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, Brook Lopez

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