The Golden State Warriors are perhaps best known for offensive stars and a high-scoring attack, though it might be their underrated defense that makes the difference in the playoffs.
They should be able to continue playing well at that end facing the offensively challenged Detroit Pistons.
In the midst of a home-heavy stretch, the NBA-best Warriors will try for their 26th victory in 27 games at Oracle Arena on Wednesday night with their eighth straight win overall against fading Detroit (10 p.m. pregame, 10:30 tip-off on FOX Sports Detroit).
With both Stephen Curry (23.8) and Klay Thompson (21.7) among the league's top 10 scorers, Golden State (50-12) easily paces the league with its 109.6 average.
The Warriors, however, are creating many of their opportunities from defense. They not only rank among NBA leaders by forcing 16.6 turnovers per game, but they're also averaging a league-high 20.0 points off those takeaways.
"This is a special team and a special group," Curry said after Monday's 98-80 win at Phoenix. "We are put together to win a championship. That is the big picture but the focus is on how we play night in and night out."
Curry had 36 points and hit seven 3-pointers, Thompson added 25 and Golden State scored 33 off 18 Phoenix turnovers.
The Warriors, an NBA-best 27-2 at home, have limited opponents to 90.0 points per game on 41.3 percent shooting while forcing 18.5 turnovers during a four-game run to open a stretch with 10 of 12 at Oracle Arena.
That certainly doesn't bode well for the Pistons (23-40), who have averaged just 91.0 points on 39.8 percent shooting - including a 20.7 mark from 3-point range - in the last four of a seven-game losing streak.
Central Division-worst Detroit shot 38.6 percent and went 8 for 35 from beyond the arc in Tuesday's 93-85 loss to the Pacific Division-worst Los Angeles Lakers in the opener of a four-game trip.
Since pulling within one game of eighth place in the Eastern Conference after an 18-10 run, the Pistons have fallen five back as a result of their worst slide since dropping 13 in a row from Nov. 15-Dec. 9.
Reggie Jackson averaged 17.1 points in his first seven games with the Pistons before finishing with two on 1-of-9 shooting at Staples Center. Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond were bright spots, teaming for 38 points and 30 rebounds.
The Pistons rank among the NBA leaders with 45.5 points in the paint per game, but they were outscored 46-32 in a 104-93 home loss to the Warriors on Nov. 30. Golden State is one of the league's best interior defensive clubs, limiting opponents to a 55.6 field-goal percentage within five feet and a 35.4 mark from five-to-nine feet away.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led Detroit with 23 points in the November loss. He finished with 15 points on 4-of-10 3-point shooting Tuesday after averaging 7.5 points while going 1 for 18 from long range in his previous four games.
Golden State's Draymond Green had 20 points and went 5 for 8 from deep in Detroit, while Curry and Thompson combined for just 31 points and three 3s. Green has averaged 21.3 points in three home games this month.
The Warriors have held the Pistons below 98 points in each game during their run in the series.
