Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.
Firing on All Cylinders
The Detroit Pistons rolled the Charlotte Hornets last night where every Detroit starter scored at least 14 points.
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Cade Cunningham – 22 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals
Duncan Robinson – 15 points, three rebounds, and four made threes
Ausar Thompson – 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, three steals, and four blocks
Tobias Harris – 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists
Jalen Duren – 19 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists
Transmission Trouble
Jaden Ivey was the only rotation player to have a negative +/- last night. He finished -14 in a game the Pistons won by 26. For comparison, Cade finished at a team-high +33.
I know +/- doesn’t tell the whole story, and Ivey didn’t exceed more than 14 minutes on the court once again, but it was a rough game for JI. He scored five points while shooting 2-for-6 from the field, missing all three of his three-point attempts.
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His skillset feels slightly redundant next to Caris LeVert as an off-the-bench combo guard, but I feel the starting lineup needs the shooting and gravity that Duncan Robinson brings behind the arc.
Ivey is currently the most polarizing Detroit player in regards to his future on the roster, and I wonder what Trajan Langdon and the front office has planned over the next few months leading up to the trade deadline.
Mechanic’s Note
This team needs more shooters.
They have one guy I would classify as a “shooter,” a bunch of guys who can make a three, and a bunch of guys whose shooting isn’t feared by opposing teams.
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Detroit has two players (Duncan, Cade) who are attempting at least six three-pointers per game. Ten teams only have one player while the Grizzlies have none.
The Pistons rank 28th in the league in 3PM, 27th in 3PA, and 21st in 3PT%. Yet, they’re 1st in 2PM and 4th in 2PA. They’re 5th in FTM and 3rd in FTA while being 28th in FT%.
My worries about this team and their playstyle arrive when I think about the playoffs. They’re a team whose identity is defense, transition, and bully ball underneath the rim. We’ve seen the struggles already when teams switch to zone, and it becomes a little embarrassing when Detroit can’t shoot the other team back into man defense. Even though they’re getting fouled frequently, they’re efficiency from the free throw line isn’t where it needs to be.
I think Trajan Langdon will have to make a deal by the deadline to bring in more shooting, specifically in the front court – and we’ll probably see some sort of consolidation of the young pieces to get it done.