The Detroit Pistons will be in the playoffs this season for the first time since the 2008-09 season. With the Indiana Pacers' win Tuesday night and the Pistons' loss, they were assured of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and a first round matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Oddly enough, that's who Detroit closes the regular season out against.
While a first round matchup with the Cavaliers is a daunting task, that wasn't the scariest news to come out of Tuesday for Pistons fans. Starting point guard Reggie Jackson was a late scratch from their game Tuesday due to an abdominal strain.
Of course, the last thing that the Pistons and their fans want to hear right before the playoffs are about to begin is that one of their best players is hurt, but fortunately, the injury doesn't seem too serious. Jackson felt something in his abdomen during shoot around on Tuesday, so the Pistons decided to hold him out as a precaution. Despite sitting out the game, Jackson said that he expects to be "OK" for the playoffs.
The 25-year-old point guard said that he has had this type of pain before so he downplayed it, but he was hoping that it would go away before the game Tuesday, and it didn't. Jackson felt better when he woke up on Wednesday and is actually considered a game-time decision for the regular season finale. Even with Jackson being a game-time call, it seems unlikely at best that he will play considering the Pistons have nothing to play for. The best decision would be to give him another game off and allow him to heal up for game one of the playoffs.
There is no need for Detroit to risk further injury for Jackson because he is essential to their success. Through 79 games this season, the former Boston College star averaged 18.8 points and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor and 35 percent from three. Nobody will pick the Pistons to upset Cleveland in the first round, but if they have any shot at all, they will need their star point guard to have a great series and take advantage of Kyrie Irving's weak defense.
For what it's worth, Jackson is very excited about the matchup against the Cavs, as he provided an all-time great quote when asked about the series. "I like it. I don't want to fight Goliath's homeboy or little brother. I want to fight Goliath," he said. Well Jackson will get his wish, and the good news is that he expects to be ready and healthy for when the series begins.
