Detroit Pistons fall to the Portland Trail Blazers, 119-115: Game thread replay
Detroit Pistons (19-52) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (26-44)
When: 7 p.m. Monday.
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
TV: Bally Sports Detroit.
Radio: 97.1 FM (Pistons radio affiliates).
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Game notes: Portland was blown out at Indiana on Sunday afternoon 129-98, so the Pistons get the extra day of rest advantage, having last played Saturday night in Cleveland, a 113-109 loss. Jerami Grant scored a season-high 40 points and hit seven 3-pointers and Cade Cunningham returned from a two-game absence to score 15 points and dish 10 assists. Grant is out for this game (right knee inflammation). ... The Pistons hold the NBA's third-worst record with 11 games and three weeks remaining in the regular season.
The story line for this game is Chauncey Billups' first trip to Detroit as an NBA head coach. It has been a tough first season for Mr. Big Shot, as the franchise pivoted midseason after poor play and injuries forced their hand. Yet despite trading multiple key pieces (CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, Robert Covington) and missing others due to injury (Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkić, Anfernee Simons), the Trail Blazers remain just a few games back of the play-in tournament in the horrendous bottom half of the Western Conference. They look nothing like the team that blew out the Pistons in November, 110-92, now led in scoring by Josh Hart (19.9 points in 13 games since arriving from New Orleans). But Hart (knee) won't play in this game either. ... The Blazers could have two lottery picks in June's draft and have money to spend as they look to recreate the team around Lillard.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons fall to the Trail Blazers, 119-115: Game thread replay
