PREVIEW: The Portland Trail Blazers (9-13) travel to Little Caesars Arena to face the Detroit Pistons (17-5) on Friday night in a matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions. Detroit enters the game with elite rim defense, ranking first in the league at limiting shots attacking the basket, while Portland brings aggressive offensive rebounding at 32.1 percent, good for second in the NBA. The Pistons operate with high-frequency rim attacks and force considerable turnovers, characteristics that should create challenges for a Trail Blazers offense that ranks 28th in passing efficiency and commits turnovers at a concerning rate. Portland snapped a three-game losing streak with a 122-110 road victory over Cleveland on Wednesday, while Detroit fell 113-109 to Milwaukee in their previous outing, losing despite leading after three quarters. The Trail Blazers lean heavily on Deni Avdija, who is averaging 25.8 points and shooting an impressive 47.4 percent from the floor with 37.4 percent accuracy from three-point range. The Pistons counter with Cade Cunningham leading the way at 27.6 points per game while dishing out 9.2 assists, serving as the engine of Detroit's offensive attack. Portland's inconsistent three-point shooting at 30th in the league and inefficient rim attacks could prove costly against a Detroit defense that specializes in protecting the paint. The Trail Blazers face significant depth challenges with key players sidelined, including Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, making this a difficult road test against Detroit's well-rounded roster.