Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls preview: Offense and defense collide in Detroit

Because it’s so early in the season, I’m trying not to assume that the good teams are good and the bad teams are bad, even if that aligns with what my preconceived notions were in the offseason. The Chicago Bulls are 5-9, but 15 games into the season that record can be misleading. To learn more, I delve into the stats and pick out what makes sense and what doesn’t as I think through what kind of game the Detroit Pistons might be facing. It turns out the Chicago Bulls are bad for good reason. Offensively, Chicago has potent weapons, especially Zach LaVine. The maligned guard averages more than 20 points per game. game and shoots it with high efficiency at high volume.

LaVine doesn’t really give you anything else, but he gets paid to score and that’s what he does. The same could be said for Nikola Vucevic and Coby White. Then again, why are the Bulls bad? Defensively, they appear to be just a mess. They have particular difficulty in sealing the paint. No team in the NBA allows more shot attempts in the restricted area than the Bulls (34.1 per game), and they allow opponents to shoot 70%, which is tied for third-worst in the NBA. It’s a deadly combination. They are also terrible at creating second-chance opportunities and are among the worst rebounding defenses in the NBA. Hopefully the Pistons can take advantage.

Vital games

When: 19:00 ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Clock: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Stamps -4.5

Expected lineups

Detroit Pistons (7-8)
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Tim Hardaway Jr., Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Chicago Bulls (5-9)
Coby White, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Josh Giddey, Nikola Vucevic