Detroit @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 23, 2018 ) Atlanta 98, Detroit 95

The Detroit Pistons entered the All-Star break winning five of their final seven games to vault into a tie for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, but realize how they play in the final 26 games of the season starting Friday at the Atlanta Hawks will determine if they reach the postseason. The Pistons rode the strong play of Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson during their recent surge that lifted Detroit from three games out of the postseason picture into a tie with Miami.

“I think they understand and know what we’re facing these last 26 games,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey told reporters after Wednesday’s practice. “We’ve got to play in a desperate mode.” The Hawks were projected to be the NBA’s worst team as they entered the season embracing a full rebuild and started 6-22, but went 12-13 afterward before dropping four of five entering the break. Rookie Trae Young has impressed through the growing pains, but the Hawks were disappointed in their final game before the break – a 106-91 loss to New York that ended the Knicks 18-game losing streak, two days after a spirited victory over the Lakers. “We can’t start the game like we did and expect to get a win,” Young told reporters after the Knicks loss. “We’ve just got to learn from it and get better and regroup after the All-Star game.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Detroit Plus, FS Southeast (Atlanta)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (26-30): Drummond averaged 22.8 points and 15.7 rebounds while shooting 66.7 percent from the field in the past 10 games, while Jackson is hitting 48.4 percent from 3-point range in that span while averaging 18.7 points and 5.9 assists. Blake Griffin is tied for ninth in scoring at 26.9 points per game and closed the pre-break schedule with back-to-back 30-plus point contests. Detroit is sixth in the NBA in offensive rebounding per game (11.3) and ninth in points allowed (108.7).

ABOUT THE HAWKS (19-39): Young, who put on a show in the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend, ranks seventh in the league in assists (7.6) and averages 16.9 points. John Collins leads Atlanta in scoring at 19.1 points and rebounding (9.5) while shooting 57.4 percent from the field (10th in the NBA). The Hawks allow 118.2 points per game and commit 17.8 turnovers, ranking last in the league in both categories.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Pistons play six back-to-back games out of the final 26, including a key matchup Saturday at Miami (Detroit currently holds the tiebreaker with the Heat based on better conference record).

2. The Hawks signed G Jaylen Adams to a multi-year contract Wednesday; Adams averaged 15.8 points for Erie (G-League) and played sparingly for Atlanta in 10 games this season.

3. Atlanta and Detroit split their first two meetings this season, with each winning on the road.

PREDICTION: Pistons 117, Hawks 105