The Pistons already had a 21-point lead over the Sixers, but Tyrese Maxey was doing everything he could to turn the game into a late-night panic attack for Detroit. He pulled Philly within four in the first meeting at Little Caesars Arena, and suddenly the whole comeback felt real.

Then, 16 seconds later, Cade Cunningham found Duncan Robinson for a three. Just like that, the Pistons had some breathing room — and Philly never got particularly close again.

That’s the game to keep in mind when the NBA returns from their Election Day break. LeBron James and the Sixers will visit Little Caesars Arena at 7 p.m. ET to open ESPN’s doubleheader. Philly's 7-1. Detroit's 6-1. They’re the two best teams in the East right now, and the Pistons are the only reason the Sixers have a loss at all.

What’s Different This Time?

If you’re just catching up, yes, LeBron really is a Sixer. Philly traded for Jaylen Brown and signed Bron over the summer, then put them next to Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe. All five started Monday’s win over Chicago and combined for 102 points. LeBron handled a lot of the setup work with nine assists, and Maxey — like he's done so often this season — took over in the fourth with 15 points. It’s a pretty nice setup when the guy who’s scored more points than anyone in NBA history can spend the night getting everybody else open looks.

Detroit won 60 games last year and still has the league’s top-rated defense through Tuesday. You could see exactly what that looks like against Charlotte. The Pistons turned turnovers into 37 points, and Cunningham finished with 33 points and five steals without even playing the fourth. Give him a loose pass, and he’s already headed the other way. Make him work against a set defense, and he’s happy to take his time and get a smaller guard on his hip. Philly can probably tell you how that went with Robinson.

The first meeting came on the second night of a back-to-back for Philly, and Embiid and Edgecombe sat out. Detroit was missing Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson and still won the rebounding battle 54-37. Thompson played Monday, but Duren's still dealing with a hamstring strain. Embiid played 25 minutes against Chicago while managing plantar fasciitis in his right foot. If he’s out there late Wednesday, Philly has someone who can make Detroit think twice about sending an extra defender at Maxey. If he’s on the bench, those rebounds could get awfully important again.

Who Wins?

LeBron and Cade are the names on the broadcast promo, but I’m watching Cade and Maxey in the fourth. Maxey’s already got 88 fourth-quarter points, 26 more than anybody else in the league. He scored Philly’s last 11 in that comeback at Indiana. The big question is what happens when Detroit gets the ball out of his hands.

I’d like to see Philly use LeBron as a screener for Maxey. Send two at Maxey, and James can catch it with enough room to find Brown or Edgecombe. Switch it, and Maxey gets a different defender to attack.

I’ll still take Detroit in a close one. I trust the Pistons to make Philly work deep into the shot clock, and I trust Cade to find Robinson if the Sixers send help just a step too far.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.

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