Now that the Pistons welcomed Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart back into the lineup for the team’s 108-105 win over the Phoenix Suns two nights ago, Detroit is looking to build some momentum with a familiar foe on the docket at home tonight. 

Facing the Indiana Pacers, a Central Division rival, the Pistons have an opportunity to take a 3-0 edge in the season series with a win tonight, and the odds are heavily in their favor. The Pistons are 29-10, firmly in first place in the Eastern Conference and have been for over two months now, while the Pacers hold a 10-32 record up to this point. So, the two clubs enter tonight’s matchup in completely different phases from an organizational standpoint, but Cunningham and his cohorts will be amped up in hopes of gelling and jumping back into rhythm after a prolonged layoff. 

After a brutally slow start to the 2025-26 regular season, the Indiana Pacers have improved marginally in the month of January, though they’re still well in last place of the Central Division. Despite the standings, the Pacers have won four of their last five, which included a three-game win streak tucked in that timespan, and the squad looks to finally be turning a corner.

In their last game against the Pelicans, fourth-year center Jay Huff logged a career-high 29 points and was efficient while doing so, going 13-for-17 from the field. Huff led the Pacers in scoring for the 127-119 victory, and he also contributed nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals for a productive effort all around. 

From a team standpoint, the Pacers rank No. 5 in the NBA for percentage of points from the mid-range, so a high volume of offense from Indiana comes at the second level. The Pacers also lead the league in miles per game, so their off-ball movement is also a strength of the squad thus far. 

At the moment, the Pistons are monitoring a few minor injuries. Pistons point forward Ausar Thompson is dealing with a heel issue after jamming his right ankle area during the Suns game, but he is probable to play tonight. Cunningham is also probable to play after dealing with a wrist injury, and Paul Reed is questionable to suit up (personal reasons). 

The Pacers, on the other hand, have a series of injuries to manage of differing severities with Tyrese Haliburton out after tearing his Achilles in the playoffs last season, Obi Toppin out until at least February with a foot issue and Benedict Mathurin is working through a thumb injury for about another week. Similarly, Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson also needs about another week to properly recover from a concussion. 

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is a noted fan of the impact that Detroit second-year forward Ron Holland brings, especially on the defensive end of the floor given his penchant for forcing turnovers and making gritty plays. After Holland did just that against Phoenix, Bickerstaff spoke about the physical, high-octane performance from Holland against the Suns two nights ago. 

“I mean, we've seen it time and time again,” Bickerstaff said after Thursday’s win. “You know, he is that spark plug that can come off the bench and immediately change the momentum of a game on both ends of the floor. He terrorizes people on the defensive end of the floor, creates steals, gets out in transition, has the ability to attack the basket, make plays going towards the rim. So, he knew exactly what we needed. He provided that for us tonight.”

At this juncture in the season, Siakam is the most dangerous player on the Indiana squad on a nightly basis. Siakam takes the lion’s share of the shots for the Pacers, averaging over 18 attempts per game, but he’s become an automatic 20-point performer for Indiana with consistent production and an occasional big 30-point outburst. On defense, Siakam can be a tough matchup and he grabs just under seven rebounds each night, so he makes an impact on both ends of the court and will be an important player for the Pistons to hone in on and work to contain at home tonight. 

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