Wagner totaled 38 points (13-23 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 9-10 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and one steal over 39 minutes in Wednesday's 123-108 win over the Jazz.
Da Silva (calf) is listed as out for Wednesday's game versus the Jazz.
Morales will start Wednesday's game against Utah.
Cain (shoulder) is out for Wednesday's game in Utah.
Da Silva (calf) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game at Utah.
Carter ended with eight points (4-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt), 11 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal in 33 minutes during Tuesday's 107-100 win over the Kings.
Morales totaled seven points (3-6 FG, 1-3 3Pt) and seven rebounds across 29 minutes during Tuesday's 107-100 win over Sacramento.
Bane supplied 15 points (5-19 FG, 4-13 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and four assists over 36 minutes during Tuesday's 107-100 win over the Kings.
Black registered 26 points (10-17 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, five assists and four steals across 33 minutes during Tuesday's 107-100 win over Sacramento.
Wagner finished with 33 points (11-23 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 10-10 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals over 38 minutes in Tuesday's 107-100 win over the Kings.
DraftKings. Back on Jalen Duren’s under. At the onset of this series, we identified this as a brutal matchup for Duren, and it’s proved to be just that. Wendell Carter has done a masterful job on the Pistons big man, holding Duren to just 6/14 shooting when matched up (and Duren was just 5/12 in the regular season). It’s not been a matchup the Pistons have targeted, as Duren’s paint+elbow touches have plummeted by more than 50%. It’d be hard for Detroit to scheme for Duren too, since the Magic just have their bigs in drop coverage.
I think the Pistons are at a do-or-die point in Game 4, down 2-1 to the Magic. The key for the Pistons' turnaround needs to be Jalen Duren, who's been a non-factor in all three games of this series. The Pistons haven't looked like themselves even with Cade Cunningham back and scoring. I think Duren has a good game today in Orlando and helps the Pistons even the series. If they go down 3-1, the series is likely over for the East's No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs. The Pistons were so close in Game 3, closing a huge deficit to take a 1-point lead with less than 3 minutes ago only to lose by 8. Pistons win Game 4.
There’s Jalen Duren vs. the other 28 teams, and then there is Duren vs. the Magic. It’s no secret that the Pistons have struggled vs. Orlando’s defense this postseason, but look no further than Jalen Duren’s stats. In the three games of this series, he has 8, 11, and 8 (9 PPG), a far cry from his season avg of 19.5. And to get points, you need to shoot, which he isn't doing either. Shots: 4, 10, 10 (8/game), below season average of 11.5. And it’s not just a 3-game study. In 14 regular-season games vs. the Magic, he’s averaging 12.7 points per game. In last year’s postseason series vs. the Knicks, he was held to 11.3 in 6 games, averaging 6.7 shots per game.
Wendell Carter is playing big minutes in this series and despite dealing with foul trouble and a blowout in Game 2, the big man is averaging 33 MPG, 3 more than his season average. I expect that to once again be the case tonight in a game that projects to be competitive. Carter has been very active so far in this series.
Budding star Ausar Thompson filled up the stat sheet in Game 3, posting 17 points, eight rebounds, five blocks, three assists and two steals. He's the NBA's best perimeter defender, and the Pistons are leaning on him more as this series progresses. Thompson's minutes have gone from 25 to 28 to 37. In a virtual must-win game Monday, look for Thompson to play about 35 minutes and be a significant factor yet again. I would play this prop to -145.
Someone needs to help Cade Cunningham. Jalen Duren has disappeared in this series, averaging only 9.0 points. Cunningham’s main scoring partner has actually been Tobias Harris, who has provided at least 16 points in all three games. In Game 3, he came away with 23 points. After averaging 28 minutes and 10.5 shot attempts per game during the regular season, Harris is averaging 36 minutes and 16.0 shot attempts in this series. With more minutes and shot attempts likely coming his way again, he is in a favorable position to score at least 16 points again.
