Detroit @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 11, 2018 ) Detroit 119, Chicago 87

The Detroit Pistons are looking to take steps forward under new coach Dwane Casey, who is still learning his new players. The Pistons will try to make it two straight wins to open the season on Saturday when they visit the Chicago Bulls, who struggled on the defensive end while dropping their opener.

Casey guided the Toronto Raptors to the best record in the Eastern Conference last season and is trying to mold Detroit into a contender while getting used to a new crop of players. "The one thing we’ve got to do a better job of is executing at the end of the game," Casey told reporters. "A lot of that is my fault because of familiarity of what guys do and can’t do in certain situations. I'm learning them, they're learning me - my vocabulary, what I'm saying. We had some mix-ups down the stretch (in a 103-100 opening night win over the Brooklyn Nets) where we didn't execute and were fighting the shot clock. We'll do a better job with that." Chicago is trying to put together its team of the future but is having some trouble getting all of the pieces on the court together. The Bulls struggled to defend without point guard Kris Dunn (personal) and small forward Lauri Markkanen (elbow) out of the lineup on Thursday and suffered a 127-108 loss at Philadelphia.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Detroit-plus, NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE PISTONS (1-0): Detroit is beginning its first full season with the frontcourt tandem of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond, and the early returns were very positive. Griffin scored a team-high 26 points in the opener while Drummond dominated the interior with 24 points and 20 rebounds. "Blake did an incredible job of picking up the slack while I was out of the game defensively and offensively," Drummond told reporters. "He did a great job of being tough and taking it to the hoop and getting fouled. Both of us together is quite the tandem. I really enjoy playing with him."

ABOUT THE BULLS (0-1): Chicago is hoping Dunn, 24, and Markkanen, 21, can join guard Zach LaVine, 23, power forward Jabari Parker, 23, and rookie power forward Wendell Carter Jr., 19, as the foundation of the team's next playoff contender, but the five have yet to play a game together. Power forward Bobby Portis, 23, could fit into those future plans as well and started over Parker on Thursday, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 33 minutes. LaVine led the way with 30 points but also committed five of the team's 12 turnovers.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons SF Stanley Johnson (toe) sat out the opener but is expected to play Saturday.

2. Bulls SG Denzel Valentine (ankle) missed the opener and is questionable for Saturday.

3. Detroit took three of the four meetings last season, including a 119-87 victory at Chicago in the regular-season finale.

PREDICTION: Pistons 109, Bulls 98