76ers, Pistons Meet in East-Leading Showdown

The Eastern Conference’s top two teams, Philadelphia (7-1) and Detroit (6-1), met in Detroit on Wednesday after the Pistons beat the 76ers 106-93 on Oct. 25. Philadelphia entered on a four-game winning streak after beating Chicago 126-107, while Detroit was coming off a 124-91 win over Charlotte; Tyrese Maxey and Cade Cunningham led those victories with 26 and 33 points, respectively. Philadelphia’s star-filled lineup has been productive, but Joel Embiid is managing plantar fasciitis and a minutes restriction, and LeBron James has been dealing with lower-back and sciatica issues, with his availability monitored ahead of the game. Detroit was without center Jalen Duren because of a hamstring strain. Detroit’s defense has ranked among the league’s strongest, while Philadelphia has looked to use quick transition offense to keep the Pistons from getting set.