Preview: Bulls at Pistons

[March 06, 2017]  The Detroit Pistons are holding onto a spot in the top eight in the Eastern Conference and are in a position to move up in the standings with the way the schedule sets up this week. The Pistons will try to pull into a tie for the No. 7 spot when they host the seventh-place Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Detroit is one game behind the Bulls and two below the sixth-place Indiana Pacers, who it will visit on Wednesday. The Pistons are feeling good about themselves after reaching a season high in points scored during Saturday's 136-106 romp over the Philadelphia 76ers and have a chance to pull within a game of .500 for the first time since Dec. 17 with a win on Monday. "We did a lot of little things, like screening, moving the ball around, which worked," Detroit small forward Tobias Harris told reporters after Saturday's triumph. "Our pace on offense was key for us, and we were able to get stops in transition. We had a good flow out there, both groups, we played well as a team." Chicago dropped two of three - all three games against top eight teams from the Western Conference - on its just-completed homestand and will play four of the next five on the road.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Detroit

ABOUT THE BULLS (31-31): All-Star small forward Jimmy Butler attempted only seven field goals in Saturday's 101-91 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and is averaging 17.2 points on 37.8 percent shooting - down from season marks of 23.8 and 44.6 percent - in five games since the All-Star break. "I want to get everybody involved," Butler told ESPN.com. "I think that's what coaches want me to do. I think that's what everybody wants me to do. I'm trying to do that. I think we all know I can shoot the ball at any time. Good shot, bad shot, but I don't want to do that. I don't care what my stats look like, man. Just win me the game." Veteran shooting guard Dwyane Wade is fighting through his own slump after combining to shoot 7-of-26 from the field in the last two games.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (30-32): Center Andre Drummond keeps racking up double-doubles but impressed his coach with his activity on the defensive end on Saturday, when he added three blocks and four steals to his 14 points and 14 rebounds. "Two games in a row he has brought better energy, and that’s absolutely key to us," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "He had three blocks, three goaltends, but he was challenging shots inside, he was running the floor, he was active. When he plays with that kind of energy it makes a big deal." The Pistons did a good job keeping Drummond off the free-throw line on Saturday as he had zero attempts after going a combined 5-of-29 from the stripe in the previous three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons backup PG Ish Smith recorded 11 points and 13 assists on Saturday for his second double-double of the season.

2. Chicago PG Michael Carter-Williams (knee) sat out the last four games and is day-to-day.

3. The home team took each of the first two meetings this season, with Detroit earning a 102-91 triumph on Dec. 6.

PREDICTION: Pistons 112, Bulls 108

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