Pistons Next 7 Opponents Likely Playoff Bound

Pistons' next 7 opponents all likely playoff bound
Magnificent Seven
by Keith Langlois

The Pistons have gone 3-2 in the five games played with neither Rip Hamilton nor Tayshaun Prince in the lineup and they’ve looked good doing it. But for one slipshod defensive quarter apiece in road losses to Toronto and Orlando, they might have come through those five games unbeaten.

But they have even less margin for error in a seven-game stretch ahead that could go a long way toward determining their playoff viability. The Pistons will no doubt be Las Vegas underdogs in each of the seven games – five of them on the road and all against teams that expect to be in the playoffs.

The first six of those games are inconveniently packaged in three back-to-back sets and the seventh upon their return from the last of those back-to-backs – when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be awaiting them at The Palace.

The cumulative record of the seven opponents is 35-22 going into tonight’s games and even that carries an asterisk. Washington – which kicks off the stretch by hosting the Pistons on Saturday, after three full days off for the Wizards – is 2-6 but expects to be back at full strength after playing without Antawn Jamison for all of the regular season and Mike Miller for the past three games, both due to shoulder injuries.

The only other sub-.500 team on the list, Utah, has been anathema to the Pistons, beating them eight straight overall and six straight at Utah. The last Pistons’ win came on March 13, 2005 at The Palace in a 64-62 final. The last win at Utah came on Nov. 15, 2002 when Chauncey Billups and Hamilton were in their first seasons with the Pistons.

Rare is the coach who’ll talk about the future beyond the next game, but John Kuester – answering a question about the confidence his team might have gained by winning without Prince and Hamilton – revealed he’s at least taken a peek beyond Saturday’s Washington game after the Pistons dominated Charlotte on Wednesday at The Palace.

“We’ve got an interesting journey ahead of us,” he said. “We’re going to Washington, a team, from what I gather, they’re going to be at full strength. And then we come home and play Dallas, another one of the best teams in the West. And then we go on the road. You’re always going to be tested.”

And, sometimes, tortured.

Here’s a quick look at the magnificent seven ahead:

At Washington, Saturday
The Wizards, after winning two of their first three including an impressive season opener at Dallas, have lost five straight by an average of 11.6 points per game.

But they’ll be healthy for the first time all season, not to mention well-rested, and Flip Saunders – who no doubt has a little extra personal motivation – will have had plenty of time to scheme and scout.

Gilbert Arenas looks fine physically – he looked fine physically against the Pistons a month ago when they played a preseason game in Grand Rapids – but he and Caron Butler have both made statements that indicate unease in getting accustomed to Saunders’ system. Arenas, in fact, is coming off a ghastly 12-turnover game in Washington’s most recent loss at Miami.

Stealing a win at Washington would be a great way to open this seven-game gauntlet.

Dallas, Sunday
The Mavs fell to 5-3 after a road loss to San Antonio on Wednesday, but they, too, are now at full strength with Josh Howard moving into the lineup at shooting guard to accommodate the off-season pickup of Shawn Marion.

The Mavs bounce back and forth between their big lineup and a smaller version with Dirk Nowitzki at center. There will be tough matchups for the Pistons on several fronts when the Mavs go big. Charlie Villanueva probably gets first crack at Nowitzki, but Jonas Jerebko, Ben Wallace and Austin Daye might all get a turn.

The Mavs also get the scheduling break as they’re off on Saturday and will be waiting in their hotel beds after what should be an easy road win Friday at Minnesota.

At LA Lakers, Tuesday
The Lakers are 6-1 despite not having Pau Gasol (hamstring) in the lineup all season and playing twice without Andrew Bynum (arm). Bynum was expected back for Thursday night’s game with Phoenix while Gasol could be ready to go by the time the Pistons hit the Staples Center.

The defending champs are again getting great mileage out of Kobe Bryant, the NBA’s leading scorer at 33 points a game. But as good as he is, Bryant wasn’t always the matchup the Pistons worried about most when they had Prince and Hamilton to throw at him.

Without either one, Rodney Stuckey probably will draw the assignment with Ben Gordon playing either point guard, Derek Fisher or Jordan Farmar. But that runs the great risk of putting Stuckey in early foul trouble, especially so this year with Bryant much more focused on playing in the post where his quickness, explosiveness and footwork make him a tough cover. Maybe Jerebko will also get a shot when the Lakers go small and swing Bryant to small forward.

At Portland, Wednesday
Again, the Pistons will be playing the second of a back-to-back set against a team that had the previous night off.

Portland is 6-3 with three road games – New Orleans, Charlotte and Atlanta – between now and Wednesday’s meeting. The Blazers are starting to get nice production out of 2007 No. 1 pick Greg Oden and are figuring out how to use the summer’s key free-agent acquisition, Andre Miller.

Just as in Los Angeles, the Pistons will find themselves especially missing Hamilton and Prince for their ability to match up with Portland’s rising star, Brandon Roy, a shooting guard who late in games has the ball in his hands, where his expert ballhandling, pump fakes and shot-making ability make him lethal and frequently get him to the foul line.

Stuckey, again, is likely to face a very tough matchup.

At Utah, Nov. 21
The Jazz have been sputtering out of the gates this season, missing outside shooters Kyle Korver and C.J. Miles after already being without Matt Harpring, who might be forced to retire due to knee and other injuries.

But with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer both averaging double-doubles, Mehmet Okur’s outside shooting and Andrei Kirilenko’s defense and all-around play, the Jazz have the major pieces in place of the team that’s dominated the Pistons even during their best years – not to mention Jerry Sloan and one of the NBA’s best home-court advantages.

The Pistons don’t even get a scheduling break. Utah is also off on Friday.

At Phoenix, Nov. 22
There’s not a more surprising start in the league than Phoenix’s 8-1, which includes six road games and wins at Miami and Boston. The only loss was a 22-point drubbing at Orlando.

The Suns are outscoring opponents by seven points a game despite that Orlando rout and have six players averaging 12.5 points a game or better, with Steve Nash dishing out 12.6 assists and shooting 54 percent. One of the big surprises for Phoenix has been cheap free-agent pickup Channing Frye, a power forward shooting 44 percent from the 3-point line.

There might be some questions about Phoenix’s ability to sustain its hot start given the ages of Nash and Grant Hill, off to a terrific start; too bad the Pistons are catching them in mid-November when they’re as sizzling as the desert valley itself.

Improbably enough, the Suns have both Friday and Saturday off to rest up for the Pistons – meaning they’ll be playing rested teams on the second halves of all three of their back-to-back sets.

Cleveland, Nov. 25
They say the first game back from an extended road trip is just like another road game, which makes the timing of Cleveland’s first visit of the season to The Palace especially unfortunate, because the last thing the shorthanded Pistons need is an extension of their most challenging road trip of the season.

The Cavs, after losing their first two games, have turned things around nicely, winning five of six, none more impressive than a convincing Wednesday win at Orlando.

Just as playing the Lakers and Portland without Prince and Hamilton is especially worrisome, so it will be against the Cavs and LeBron James. Prince and Hamilton have both had better than average success against James, who’ll be the most serious test yet for Jerebko.

If neither injured veteran is back yet for the Pistons, it could be that DaJuan Summers will get a chance to defend against James. One of the things that registered with Pistons personnel director George David in his recommendation of Summers was the way he responded to the physical challenge of guarding James at his Nike-sponsored summer camp where Summers served as a counselor two years ago.

And, yup, the Pistons once again catch no break from the schedule-maker: The Cavs will have been off since Saturday.