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Thoughts on a must-win opener and the season ahead for SVG’s Pistons

DETROIT – Can the season opener be a must-win game? Yeah, probably not. Felt that way for the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena, though. They came into and out of training camp feeling pretty good about themselves but there just wasn’t enough time – and certainly not enough time together – in a compressed preseason to know for sure.

Charlotte’s going to be one of the teams like the Pistons – like Miami and Milwaukee and a few others – trying to break into the top four of Cleveland, Boston, Washington and Toronto while holding off the rear to latch on to one of the eight precious playoff spots in the East.

So a win against one of those teams is big. To win against one of those teams on a night they’re missing two key players, Nic Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, is essential. To win against such a team at home – and with all of the attendant hoopla surrounding the long-awaited return to the city – well, it was as close as it gets to the classic opening-night must win.

Here are a few random thoughts on what went into securing that 12-point win: