Road-weary Pistons open favorable home stretch vs. Heat

The Detroit Pistons spent most of the past two weeks on the road. The Eastern Conference leaders now have an extended stretch where they can enjoy the comforts of their own homes as well as their home court.

Detroit plays nine of its next 11 games at home, beginning with a matchup against the Miami Heat on Thursday.

The Pistons finished 3-2 on a West Coast trip, including a satisfying 128-106 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

The Pistons showed on a national television stage why they’ve risen to the top of the East, displaying a spirited and relentless defensive effort that produced 21 turnovers. They turned those takeaways into 30 points.

The Pistons, who outscored the Lakers 58-41 in the second half, also showed off their impressive depth. Their reserves combined for 67 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals.

Guard Marcus Sasser contributed a season-high 19 points and five assists. Sasser was sidelined by a hip injury earlier in the season and has appeared in only five games.

“It’s the trust factor,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Sasser. “We had him in this situation last year. The injury obviously held him back a little bit, but we trust him. We believe in him. We know how good he is. We know how he can impact our team in a positive way, and it was just a matter of time before he got his opportunity.”

The Pistons bounced back from losses to the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers in which Bickerstaff felt the defense sagged. They weren’t about to let that happen three straight times.

“It’s the identity of this team,” Bickerstaff said. “I don’t believe there’s a more connected team in the league than ours. It doesn’t matter whose night it is. Whoever it is that’s got it going, whoever it is that’s doing their thing, all they do is celebrate it and appreciate it.”

The only disappointment Tuesday was that starting forward Tobias Harris departed in the first half due to a hip sprain. His availability for Thursday was unclear.

The Heat carry a three-game winning streak into Detroit. They racked up impressive offensive numbers during that stretch, averaging 138.3 points and a speedy 107.2 possessions per 48 minutes.

They clobbered the depleted Denver Nuggets 147-123 on Monday.

“The slower we play, I think the more average we become,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Regardless of whether teams scout us and try to prepare for it, it’s got to feel different when you actually play against it. And it requires mental and physical energy and commitment every single night, which we’re fully capable of. We’ve got a deep roster.”

Veteran guard Norman Powell has led the charge by averaging 24.3 points during the streak.

“That’s the style that we want to continue to play with,” Powell said. “I think it rises everybody’s skill set and potential with this offense and how we want to play every single night. Makes, misses, getting out of transition, hunting for easy looks, quick attacks when the defense isn’t set up. And it complements everybody’s skill set.”

The first meeting of the season between the Pistons and Heat turned into a wild shootout on Nov. 29. Detroit held off Miami’s furious rally and captured a 138-135 road win, led by Cade Cunningham’s 29 points.