The Pistons have a longstanding one-on-one game. It features the franchise’s point guard, Reggie Jackson, and a guy who is most definitely not an NBA player. This mano-a-mano showcase is often on public view, taking place after the Pistons’ morning shootarounds and practices, as well as during Jackson’s pregame workout.



On the surface, the matchup between Jackson and numbers-cruncher Sammy Gelfand would completely quash the eye test vs. analytics debate. As you would guess, Jackson is rarely ever stopped by Gelfand, who resembles a compact version of Jonah Hill’s character in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Jackson’s laughter during these games always masks the seriousness with which Gelfand competes.



“It’s a fun way to get me going,” Jackson said. “It gets me not so locked in. Sometimes I’m so locked in and need to enjoy the game a bit more. Playing around with him, talking trash, having fun and...