The Spurs, riding an impressive eight-game winning streak, will play a Detroit team that’s established itself as a Finals contenders.
SAN ANTONIO — The Spurs have collected some impressive wins on their eight-game winning streak, including victories over the Thunder, Warriors and Lakers.
Monday night’s marquee NBA matchup, however, will see San Antonio in one of its toughest tests of the season: A road battle against the Detroit Pistons, who, at 42-13, led the Eastern Conference by five and a half games entering this week’s action. At 40-16, the Spurs themselves sit at No. 2 in the West.
Monday’s game, which tips off at 6 p.m. on Peacock, pits two squads that combined to win just 36 games two seasons ago against each other. Now, riding their own respective turnarounds and featuring their own young stars in Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham, San Antonio and Detroit have gone from conference basement-dwellers to true playoff contenders.
It’ll be the first matchup between the teams this season. Here’s what to know ahead of tipoff.
GAME REWIND
The Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings,139-122, Saturday at the Moody Center in Austin to close out Spurs Week in the state capital, sweeping both Interstate 25 Series games. Wembanyama led the team with 28 points and 15 rebounds. The Spurs have now won eight straight games, the league’s longest current streak.
Keldon Johnson finished with 18 points on Saturday. Harrison Barnes added 14 points, Devin Vassell scored eight points, and Stephon Castle tallied 18 points and eight rebounds. De’Aaron Fox added 18 points. Dylan Harper had 12 points in 23 minutes. Luke Kornet had four.
“I think at this stage, 56 games in, we’re just we’re going to keep our head down and keep working and take it day by day and just try to be more consistent. I think we know where we need to put our energy,” head coach Mitch Johnson said after the game.
Detroit is riding a five-game winning streak of their own, most recently coming off a Saturday win over Chicago. The Pistons emerged from a three-point halftime advantage and used a 44-26 third quarter to put the game out of reach for the Bulls.
The Pistons improved their road record to 20-7, tied with the Thunder for the best mark this season. The Spurs, sporting a 19-10 mark away from the Frost Bank Center, are tied with the Celtics for third-best.
TEAM STATS LEADERS
- POINTS: Victor Wembanyama (24.3), De’Aron Fox (19.3), Stephon Castle (16.7)
- ASSISTS: Castle (6.8), Fox (6.3), Dylan Harper (3.6)
- REBOUNDS: Wembanyama (11.2), Luke Kornet (6.7), Julian Champagnie (5.9)
- BLOCKS: Wembanyama (2.7), Kornet (1.2), Devin Vassell (0.4)
- POINTS: Cade Cunningham (25.5), Jalen Duren (17.8), Tobias Harris (13.5)
- ASSISTS: Cunningham (9.8), Daniss Jenkins (3.1), Ausar Thompson (2.8)
- REBOUNDS: Duren (10.5), Thompson (5.9), Cunningham (5.8)
- BLOCKS: Isaiah Stewart (1.7), Cunningham (0.9), Thompson (0.8)
THE UNIFORMS
The Spurs will wear their Association Edition jerseys Monday in Detroit.
INJURY REPORT
All of San Antonio’s main contributors will be available for the nationally televised/streamed game. Mason Plumlee, who the Spurs recently signed to a 10-day contract following Jeremy Sochan’s departure, is listed as out for “reconditioning.”
Detroit will be without Isaiah Stewart, their leading shots-blocker, who is serving a seven-game league suspension for his role in an in-game fight against the Hornets earlier this month.
LOCKED ON SPURS PREVIEWS SPURS-PISTONS
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
1. The Pistons are on a five-game winning streak.
2. The Pistons have out-rebounded their opponents in six straight games.
3. The Pistons are 19-1 at home when leading at halftime.
4. The Spurs are on an eight-game winning streak, including five straight road victories.
5. The Spurs have made more three-point shots than their opponents in two straight games.
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