GT: Pistons (7-0) vs. Hawks (27-8) ~ 7:30 PM EST

[whitehops]

this is another matchup of the two hottest teams in the league, the pistons have a league-best seven game winning streak and the hawks have won six games in a row.

possible ECF matchup?



honestly, if we win I don't know what I will do. srs.

[ComboGuardCity]

Hawks have been legit


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[dVs33]

I wouldn't have picked it before the season, but the Hawks have been really good so far.
The bigs battle will be intriguing. They have some really skilled savy vets in Milsap and Horford. I hope our guys show up to play.
Also the Teague V Jennings match will be good since Teague is breaking out and Jennings is on a good run.
Should be a fun one.

[princeofpalace]

I know Millsap can step back and hit the 3, although below average in that regard, but this is really a game that Drumroe should play together more because we can live with a 33% 3pt shooter taking those shots. I think Millsap has a better chance of getting it going offensively against the smaller Jerebko/Tolliver than he does against Monroe since Monroe is 4 inches taller than Millsap. Additionally. Monroe should be able to beast against Millsap offensively. And, Drummond also has a size advantage over Horford.

We are due for a loss, but I am hoping we can knock off the best team in the East tonight

[Dtown84]

Game of the night in the NBA by far. Pistons have done well on the road, next step to being legit is defending the home court.

[dan2314]

Think this game might to to triple overtime at which point a black hole appears and the world is destroyed. Neither team knows how to lose right now.

Tough matchup for us. Think millsap may cause monroe some real problems, been incredibly handsy on defense this year, turnovers is something that moose can have issues with, and millsap is a matchup nightmare on offense, combination of strength and quickness makes him very tough to defend.
Drummond has always had problems with al horford's unorthodox game. Seems to throw him off a bit. Dre is obviously developing very quickly and playing incredible basketball the last few weeks. This'll be the most important matchup.

Jeff teague will tear jennings up. But maybe thats the old jennings, who knows who the guy we've seen the last 7 games is.

Dont like this matchup, Atlantas defense has been causing a lot of turnovers, and an over excited team may fall right into that trap. Going to have to rely on our improved defense to hang around again. Will be a very tough game. And would be absolutely incredibly insane if we could get the win against a team this hot.

[Redeemed]

Jennings v. Teague could be a legit match up because Teague flopped and ended up hurting Jennings the last time they played. I would love to see Jennings hold a grudge behind that. Also, Teague is emerging as one of the elite young pgs in the league, while Jennings' has dropped over his years in the league. Both of those guys came out in the 2009 NBA draft (Jennings 10th overall & Teague 19th overall), so there should be a bit of a rivalry there anyway.

[Redeemed]

Drummond/Monroe v. Horford/Milsap - This will be a battle of hardnosed frontcourt players. Horford/Milsap can stretch the defense with their perimeter shooting. Both of those guys can draw our bigs away from the basket and potentially rob us of our advantage on the boards. Monroe can dominate all of Atlanta bigs in the post. Moose needs to set the pace for this game in the same way he started off dominated the Mavs.

We also need Drummond being disruptive clogging the paint and dominating the boards. The addition of Tolliver and the shooting of Jerebko should allow us to cause them just as many headaches as they cause us.

[BadMofoPimp]

This is going to be an epic game. Gooo Fricken Wall!!!

[zeebneeb]

I feel like Dr jekyll and Mr Hyde in trying to make a call, or even discuss this game. In my mind I KNOW what they were, and also what have become.

In this game, the horrific 5-23 pistons will beat the best team in the East by 3.

Does that work?

[Redeemed]

I hope they ride the energy and moment of a 7 game win streak and put this game away early. I'm wondering who steps up as the star of the game tonight? Meeks? Jennings? I would love to see KCP steal the show tonight. More than anything, I would like to see the streak continue.

#BuildtheWall

[Tricky_Kid]

let it be 8 winning streak after todays game plizzz

[Madhouse]

Pistons will go on a 8 game winning streak. Book it.

[kurtis48239]

Iam excited for this game,I think we have just a good a chance as any and I think with the momentum of the last 7 wins and the guys tasting victory for the first time in a long time,were more hungry and the guys are banding together like family.As long as any of dre/moose/jennings/meeks/kcp/jj/dj/toliver dont forget how to ball or have bad shooting nights or subpar defense,I think we pull this win out.

[Ghost]

I thought the streak was going to die in Texas, so I really think this is the end of the line for us. Not that 7-1 is bad... BUT ITS TIME TO TRADE Monroe, Singler, and Jennings!!!!#!! FIRE SVG@@@.

Seriously, have to watch out for Teague drive&kick because just like how Detroit has been playing, once the ball gets moving .. bad things will happen. Kyle **** Korver is going to be somewhere behind the arc waiting for that pass. Also, got to look out for the running off screens, like what Meeks/KCP have been doing.
Their whole lineup is a real threat, just like us. It should be a great game.

[MotownMadness]

Defense Defense Defense is winning us games and unselfish basketball. I remember watching the Goin To Work era start to win like this when they first started out with Billups and Wallace. We didn't have much talent but we had a foundation set with Wallace and built a culture off of that with team ball and defense. Our foundation looks like Drummond and now the culture is starting to change. So keep winning and adding the rest of the pieces over the next couple seasons and we will takes over the East again in the near future.

Can't win them all and can't always come out knocking down every shot. But you can still win in this league is everyone plays Defense which will eventually generate offense and we are seeing that.

[engelbert321]

KCP needs to be glued to Korver the entire game. Jennings must keep up with Teague. And our bigs better respect their big's midrange game or it's GAME OVER. MUST WATCH GAME.

[whitehops]

let it be 8 winning streak after todays game plizzz

Pistons will go on a 8 game winning streak. Book it.

thanks for the support

I'm sure no ulterior motives are at play lol

[Jackattaq]

This game is a tough one to call. Just to do my homework, I watched the last ATL game against MEM. They are two teams that are clones of each other. They very much reminded me of the Pistons vs Pacer match-ups circa 2003-2005 where good defense was always at the forefront. I remember games that ended 72-68, they were fun, watching every possession matter and count for something. From watching the Hawks and Grizz it was pretty evident that their offense (while good) is highly dependant on forcing TO's and getting easy scores. They are athletic and like to get out and run after a TO. They are very disruptive in the passing lanes and lazy passes won't get it done (which a few of the Pistons have a tendancy to do). Not fighting hard through defensive screens won't get it done as Kyle Korver doesn't need much room to get off an open shot with his quick release. Kyle Korver is also shooting over 51% from the 3 point line so I wanna see whoever is guarding him NEVER LEAVE HIM. It's been one hell of a streak and I'm not ready to see it end or say that it will, but I think that there will be very little margin for error if the Pistons expect to extend their streak to 8 games.

One area I did see as a potential weakness for the Hawks was that they liked to play fast, and maybe it was just that they were playing Memphis and guys like Tony Allen, but they were SLOPPY with the ball and passes. The Hawks were forcing the ball inside and often Memphis was getting deflections and getting the ball from tipped passes. The Hawks had 17 turnovers that game and the Grizzlies had 21. Some of that was the fact they are both scrappy teams but also the play was frentic and fast, it led to mistakes and missed shots. I think the Pistons will need to control tempo and take good shots (not rushed 3's that lead to fastbreaks) within the offense to keep ATL under wraps.

I expect a good game, I don't want to make a prediction, but here is to hoping we get another win, and enjoy the game.

GO PISTONS !!!!

[pistonsfan00]

Very excited for this match up!!! The front court match ups are definitely what I'm looking forward to. Lets keep the train moving! Pistons by 5.