Atlanta @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2017 ) Atlanta 87, Detroit 109

The Detroit Pistons are quietly emerging as a power in the Eastern Conference and will try to extend their latest winning streak to four straight games when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. The Pistons are winners of six of their last seven and rolled over the Indiana Pacers 114-97 on Wednesday.

Detroit is showing off the depth of its roster and had 11 players score in Wednesday's win, including a combined 22 points off the bench from guards Ish Smith and Langston Galloway. "We're only 11 games in and literally all 14 guys have made significant contributions at one point or another," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "Players hear it all the time: 'Everybody's going to get their opportunity.' We're only 11 games in and it's come true." The Hawks are trying to spread the opportunity around as well as they search for any combination of players to support point guard Dennis Schroder. Atlanta might be starting to figure it out after winning at Cleveland and taking the Boston Celtics down to the wire in a 110-107 setback on Monday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE HAWKS (2-9): Atlanta won its first game and then dropped eight in a row before winning at Cleveland over the weekend, and the offense took center stage in the last two games. The Hawks shot 47.7 percent from the floor in the 117-115 win over the Cavaliers and shot 48.1 percent, including 13-of-26 from 3-point range, in the loss to the Boston Celtics, who own the NBA's best scoring defense. Schroder was at the center of the offensive breakthrough in both games, totaling 51 points on 18-of-33 shooting, and is averaging 22.6 points and 6.6 assists.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (8-3): One of the most surprising aspects of Detroit's hot start was the solid production at the free-throw line from center Andre Drummond. The career 38.8-percent free-throw shooter went 30-of-40 from the line in the first 10 games before slipping up with an 0-of-7 performance in Wednesday's win. "At times the missed free throws messed with him a little bit," Van Gundy told reporters of Drummond. "The only thing we talked to him about is, he's a great player, keep your head in the game. Be solid. Play your game and help us get a win. Nothing else matters."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons SF Stanley Johnson (hip) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.

2. Hawks SG Marco Belinelli scored 19 points on Monday after going scoreless on 0-of-9 shooting in the previous two contests.

3. The Pistons took two of the three meetings last season, including the lone matchup in Detroit 118-95 on Jan. 18.

PREDICTION: Pistons 112, Hawks 101