Mavs Game Preview: Game 49 @ Pistons

Young, improved Pistons meet a Mavericks team looking to keep momentum

Photo by Nic Antaya / Getty Images

After opening their five-game road trip with a win in New Orleans, the Mavericks head to Detroit for the second stop, looking to keep the momentum going.

The vibes around the team are finally starting to improve—Naji Marshall is back in the lineup, Dante Exum was upgraded to questionable for the first time this season, and Luka Dončić’s return could be on the horizon. A win against the young and improving Pistons would only add to that, giving the Mavericks their first three-game winning streak since their seven-game run in early December.

The Pistons, on the other hand, have lost three in a row and will be eager to turn things around as they return home for the first time after their own five-game road trip. Despite their recent losses, Detroit (23-24) remains one of the more positive stories of the season, with quality wins against Western Conference opponents like the Rockets, Timberwolves, Suns, Lakers, and Kings. They shouldn’t be taken lightly, but they’re also a team the Mavericks can and should beat—if they bring the right level of force and focus.

This will also be the first time Quentin Grimes and Tim Hardaway Jr. face their former teams since being traded for each other in the summer. Hardaway Jr., in particular, could have some extra motivation after spending six seasons and playing 352 games for Dallas, only to fall out of the rotation during last year’s playoffs.

---

Mavs (26-22) @ Pistons (23-24) game facts

Rest: DAL on 1 day of rest; DET on 1 day of rest

DAL vs DET 2024-25 record: 0-0

DAL 2024-25 away record: 12-12

DET 2024-25 home record: 10-11

DAL injuries: Luka Dončić (OUT), Dereck Lively II (OUT), Maxi Kleber (OUT), Dwight Powell (OUT), Dante Exum (questionable)

DET injuries: Jaden Ivey (OUT), Ron Harper Jr.(OUT)

DET projected starting 5: Cade Cunningham (G), Tim Hardaway Jr. (G), Tobias Harris (F), Ausar Thompson (F), Jalen Duren (C)

DET key reserves: Isiah Stewart, Simone Fontecchio, Marcus Sasser, Ron Holland II

DET Rotation:

Three key questions heading into the game

1. Can the Mavericks keep the young, athletic Pistons in check and play a more controlled game than they did in New Orleans?

2. Will P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford outwork another frontcourt featuring Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, and Isaiah Stewart?

3. What strategy will Jason Kidd choose for Cade Cunningham?

Mavs on offense | Pistons on defense

Despite adding veterans who aren’t necessarily known as defensive stoppers—Tim Hardaway Jr., Tobias Harris, and Malik Beasley—the Pistons have surprisingly improved on defense this season, climbing from near the bottom (25th last year) to a more respectable 15th in defensive rating.

Detroit faces a similar problem to Dallas, lacking a clear point-of-attack defender to throw at top opposing threats like Kyrie Irving. Jaden Ivey will miss most, if not all, of the remainder of the season due to a broken leg, and Ausar Thompson is not yet as impactful as his twin brother Amen in Houston. This means Cade Cunningham often has to take on that responsibility, as he did in the last two games by defending Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton. If that’s the case again tonight, the Mavericks and Irving need to be aggressive early, making Cunningham work by chasing Irving around and adding to his already heavy offensive burden.

Detroit is a team that blitzes a lot (5th most in the NBA), especially with Duren, so Klay Thompson, Spencer Dinwiddie, P.J. Washington, and others must be ready to take advantage of 4-on-3 situations if it happens. Being more deliberate in attacking the big in pick-and-roll—by involving Gafford early—is something I felt was missing against the Pelicans. Hopefully, we’ll see more of it tomorrow with Irving and Dinwiddie targeting Duren. Another way to get Detroit in rotation is by targeting Hardaway Jr. and Beasley with guard-guard pick actions.

Getting Gafford a lob or other good looks at the rim should help boost his confidence and hopefully set him up to dominate another big man matchup. Duren and Stewart are two young, physical bigs, but they aren’t the kind of elite matchups that should prevent Gafford from continuing his impressive recent run.

Pistons on offense | Mavs on defense