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Clippers vs Pistons Preview: Derrick Jones Jr. Returns
The Clippers have won three games in a row and finally have some good injury news with Derrick Jones Jr. making his much-anticipated return.
Game
Information
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
When: 6:00 PM PT
How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570
Projected
Starting Lineups
Pistons: Cade Cunningham – Duncan Robinson – Ausar Thompson – Tobias Harris – Jalen Duren
Clippers: James Harden – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – John Collins – Brook Lopez
Injuries
Pistons: None
Clippers: Bogdan Bogdanovic Out (Hip), Ivica Zubac Out (Ankle), Bradley Beal Out (Hip), Chris Paul Out (Not with team), Cam Christie Questionable (Ankle)
The Big
Picture
The Clippers
have won three games in a row, getting their first win streak of the season
right as we are about to head to 2026. The Clippers have done their damage
against at least reasonably competent teams as well (I think the injury-plagued
Blazers and Luka-less still meet that bar) – it’s not like all of their wins have
come against the NBA’s dregs. While the Clippers’ defense has perked up somewhat
of late, it’s really their offense that is driving these wins; the Clippers’
offense ranks 9th in the NBA over the last five games, and 12th
over the last 10. If the Clippers can continue making threes at a high clip,
keeping their turnovers down, and playing at least “ok” defense, they should be
back in business at least as a play-in level team.
The
Antagonist
The Pistons
are one of the positive surprises of the NBA season, improving upon a frisky
playoff appearance last year by leading the Eastern Conference in wins
one-third of the way through the season. Advanced stats are somewhat less kind to
the Pistons, as both the Knicks and Celtics have a better net rating than
Detroit. Still, the Pistons boast the 2nd-best defense and 8th-best
offense in the NBA, making them a quite well-rounded team. Cade Cunningham is
the driving factor on offense, with Jalen Duren’s leap giving the Pistons a
premier roller and finisher at the rim. The defense is a group effort, with Ausar
Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and Duren being their leading forces on
that end. The Pistons could probably use a better second playmaker next to Cade
if they really want to win a championship, but their defense is legit and they
play hard every game.
Notes
DJJ Back: Shams Charania announced yesterday that Derrick Jones Jr. is available to play for today’s game, marking a return to play after a 6 week absence due to a sprained knee. DJJ started for most of last year and was a starter this year, but I think I’d be a bit surprised if he started right away tomorrow. Harden, Kawhi, and Brook Lopez seem like locks (at least as of now, for Brook), and Kris Dunn and John Collins have both played well recently. A week or two ago, I might have said DJJ should start over Collins, but that seems less likely now. And while DJJ is probably a better player than Dunn, Dunn’s ability to at least bring the ball up the court a lot is valuable for taking some of the load off of Harden. It’s also possible DJJ has a minutes restriction early into his return. The other question is whether anyone will lose a rotation spot to DJJ, and right now, with Bogi out, I think not – I’d guess DJJ, Nico, Kobe Sanders, Jordan Miller, and Yanic all play tonight. As DJJ rounds into shape, I do wonder if Miller/Bogi will lose their spot, or if the Clippers go small in the second unit and excise Neiderhauser. Either way, it’s exciting to see DJJ back.
Clippers vs Pistons Preview: Derrick Jones Jr. Returns
Robert Flom