The Detroit Pistons play host to the Denver Nuggets at Little Caesar's Arena on Friday.

The Nuggets (46-24) come into this matchup winning 12 of their last 16 games. That has guaranteed them a Top-4 spot in the west, and they can finish either third or fourth, depending on the final two games. That means they'll get homecourt advantage in the first round, but it's going to be a long road against some really tough teams. What makes it even more difficult is that they're missing so many valuable players, with Jamal Murray, PJ Dozier and Will Barton all sidelined. It doesn't look like any of them will be back for the postseason either, which makes things really difficult with so many potent teams in the Western Conference. They still have Nikola Jokic, though, and the big man looks well on his way to an MVP Award.

The Pistons (20-50) enter this matchup losing 10 of their last 12 games. This is a club that has been waiting for the season to end for weeks now, and it's mercifully coming to an end. They haven't made it pretty either, resting guys like Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee, and Cory Joseph regularly. That has allowed some youngsters to step up, but it's also becoming abundantly clear that there's not much talent on this roster. That has them with the second-worst record in the NBA, and the higher the draft pick, the better. The guys they need to build around are Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes, with both of those rookies flashing moments of brilliance with those aforementioned guys resting.

These teams played back on April 6, with Denver prevailing, 134-119. That gives the Nuggets nine wins in their last 13 meetings with the Pistons dating back six years.