For today’s matinee contest, the Detroit Pistons are taking their three-game winning streak North of the border for a 3:30 pm tip-off with the Toronto Raptors in a game that could foreshadow a playoff matchup between the two squads. 

At 37-29, the Raptors are easily in postseason contention given their 3rd place position in the Atlantic Division, so it would not be out of the question for Toronto to pop up as a first or second round opponent for the Pistons. 

But before reaching that stage, the Pistons are looking to finish strong with 16 games left on the schedule after taking down the Memphis Grizzlies by a 126-110 margin on Friday night. In that double-digit win, Jalen Duren posted the sixth 30-point game of his career, and Cade Cunningham casually dropped a 17-point, 15–assist double-double to help secure the Pistons’ third consecutive victory last time out. 

As the home squad in today’s Eastern Conference battle, the Raptors have experienced some difficulty since coming back from the All-Star Break. Toronto has a 3-6 record over their last nine games, but that’s included a murderer’s row lineup of tilts against the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, so the Raptors’ subpar run of form could largely be explained by their strength of schedule.

In their most recent game, which was a 122-115 win over the Phoenix Suns, Brandon Ingram was unconscious from long-range with 36 points on 5-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc for the Raptors. Ingram’s scoring outburst marked his second 30-point game of the month, and it helped push the Raptors back into the win column against another quality opponent. 

From a team perspective, the Raptors like to get out in transition when the opportunity presents itself, and Toronto currently ranks No. 1 in the NBA for fastbreak points per game (18.8). The Raptors also rank fourth in the association for deflections per game, and Toronto’s harnessed their defensive tenacity to help create turnovers that spark all their fastbreak looks, so they play a complementary brand of basketball up North. 

After missing several games due to a right ankle sprain, Pistons forward Ausar Thompson is listed as probable to play in today’s game, so Detroit will receive a huge boost to their perimeter defense just as the interior takes a blow. Isaiah Stewart is slated to miss the Raptors game because of a left calf strain, so Beef Stew is going to sit out today’s contest. 

For the Raptors, only Chucky Hepburn and Collin Murray-Boyles are on the injury report at the moment, so Toronto will be missing that pair for the Pistons game but are otherwise healthy. 

Though Thompson is making his return today, the Pistons received a welcomed scoring boost from Marcus Sasser on the perimeter over the last five games. During Thompson’s absence, Sasser presented a perimeter threat that opposing wings needed to respect, and the Pistons had a bit more room to work within the lane as a byproduct. 

Against the Grizzlies, Sasser posted 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal, and the combo guard finished with a 19.3% usage share on a staggering 156.8 offensive rating on Friday night. Sasser’s offensive contributions are further detailed thanks to the Dynatyze graphic below: 

Even with Thompson back in the lineup, the Pistons know they have another guard who can sub into the starting lineup on a whim and provide an extra outside scoring threat while still serving admirably as a defender, although on an albeit smaller profile guard. This is the type of lineup flexibility that J.B. Bickerstaff can benefit from in the postseason, so the Pistons may have just added another feather to their cap heading into the playoffs. 

Ingram’s 36-point game against the Suns in Toronto’s last game is all the evidence that’s needed as to why the Pistons need to key in on the dangerous Raptors wing in today’s game. Ingram may draw the Ausar Thompson assignment given his return, so the Pistons will have a trick up their sleeve when it comes to defending the All-Star shooter. 

In the only other Pistons-Raptors game this season, Ingram was held to just 13 points in 32 minutes on 5-for-7 FGs, so Detroit has shown the ability to lock the Duke product up when faced with the task. 

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