News Pistons Team Notes

[Detroit Pistons]

3-Man Fastbreak: Back on Track

The Detroit Pistons have rattled off four straight wins after their slowest stretch of the season, a period that saw them lose three of five games and miss out on the NBA Cup. The brief rest that followed appears to have paid dividends, as Detroit dismantled a gritty Atlanta squad before grinding out an impressive road win in Boston on Monday.

Three takeaways from the last week of winning:

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1. How clutch has Cade been?​

We know who the Pistons are going to in crunch time, but just how good has Cade Cunningham been when it matters most this season?

His two made shots in the final two minutes against Boston were a microcosm of what we’ve seen, dating back to the middle of last season.

Through 16 clutch games this season, Cunningham is firmly among the league’s best. His 26 made field goals in clutch situations trail only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — an incredible note considering how many fourth quarters Shai hasn’t needed to play. Cunningham’s 12 clutch assists rank second, behind only Jalen Johnson (15), while Detroit owns a +43 point differential with Cade on the floor in those moments, good for seventh-best in the NBA.

The one area for improvement is outside shooting. Cunningham is just 1-for-8 from three in clutch situations this season. While the Pistons have other options when a three is needed, Cade taking another step in that area would truly be the cherry on top.

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2. Defense, too?​

Cunningham’s stellar — and somehow still quiet — start to the season deserves another spotlight, particularly for his work on the defensive end.

In ESPN’s most recent NBA power rankings, where Detroit was slotted second overall, Vincent Goodwill noted that opponents are shooting under 41% when Cunningham is the primary defender. That mark leads all NBA players with at least 300 field-goal attempts defended.

For a player who ranks fifth in usage rate entering Thursday, Cunningham’s two-way impact is especially impressive. Detroit as a team owns the second-best defensive rating in the league, trailing only Oklahoma City, and has been near the top for much of the season. Cade’s growth as a defender is a testament to the culture of defense and physicality JB Bickerstaff has established but also to him for wanting to be a two-way star.

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3. LeVert vs. Ivey​

Detroit brought in Caris LeVert during the offseason to provide much-needed veteran presence and scoring after losing Dennis Schröder, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Malik Beasley. It took some time for LeVert to find his footing, but he now looks comfortable within the rotation.

Since Jaden Ivey’s return, LeVert’s minutes haven’t dipped much, hovering around 20 per night — nearly identical to Ivey’s workload now and Dannis Jenkins has essentially been bodied out of the rotation due to the influx of depth.

With both players likely to maintain similar roles the rest of the season, it will be interesting to see how Bickerstaff staggers their minutes or experiments with playing them together more. Each brings something different to the table: LeVert as a steady half-court scorer and shooter, and Ivey as a dynamic offensive spark on or off the ball, especially in transition. It’s a good problem to have, but something to monitor.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detroit-pistons-analysis/48678/3-man-fastbreak-back-on-track

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Under the Hood: Game 28 vs Hornets

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.

Cade Cunningham – 22 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals

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Duncan Robinson – 15 points, three rebounds, and four made threes

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Ausar Thompson – 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, three steals, and four blocks

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Tobias Harris – 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists

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Jalen Duren – 19 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists

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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.

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.

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.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/48721/under-the-hood-game-28-vs-hornets

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Hornets Discussion: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

The Detroit Pistons get one more home game to show their fans how special the year 2025 has been. Last season, the Pistons finished strong and cemented a historic season that saw them win three times as many games as the season prior. This season, they have the second-most wins in the NBA, including the best record in the Eastern Conference. After tonight, Detorit has five more games in 2025, but they are all on the road.

Detroit’s opponent will be the Charlotte Hornets, a team that is just 9-18, but has won two in a row — one against the Cleveland Cavaliers and another against the Atlanta Hawks. The Hornets have achieved the majority of their wins for the season in the past nine games (5 wins). They have evened out a leaky defense and are starting to understand where they can generate reliable offense — most notably rookie Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Brandon Miller.

The Pistons struggled in an extremely tough loss to the Dallas Mavericks by not being able to hit anything from outside. It didn’t help that Detroit was without Duncan Robinson for the majority of the game, after he experienced some knee pain. However, the Pistons best (only?) reliable shooter is expected to be back in the lineup against the Hornets.

Detroit also had a terrible time with the refs — Ausar Thompson was ejected extremely early courtesy of a hair-trigger decision by the lead official. Cade Cunningham and JB Bickerstaff were also hit with technicals, and there were some questionable and important calls late that went against the Pistons.

Bickerstaff was so fed up, he called out the officials by name. Which, good. Also, it feels like the Pistons have typically responded well to a bit of adversity this season. We will see if they can lock in for all 48 minutes against the Hornets.

Game Vitals​

When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: NBA TV and Fan Duel Sports Network
Odds: Pistons -10.5

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (21-6)​

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Charlotte Hornets (9-18)​

LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, Ryan Kalkbrenner

Question of the Game​

If the Pistons find out that the additional shooter they need is already on their roster, who will that shooter be?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...hornets-discussion-game-time-tv-odds-and-more

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs Trailblazers preview: Time for the West Coast road trip

The five-game West Coast trip is here. The Portland Trailblazers are first on the clock. The Detroit Pistons have no problem walking into anybody’s crib and kicking their feet up. The Pistons are a conference-best 9-4 on the road. They look to carry the momentum from a dominant Charlotte Hornets performance into Portland.

The Blazers and Hornets are in similar positions, but ultimately are different teams. Both squads want to make the play-in at least, but there is a little more juice in Portland. We know Deni Avdija is playing at an All-Star level and gets the whistle to match (14-15 FT on 12/5). He’s a tough cover, but you don’t sweat anybody when you’re a top-2 defense.

We’re closing in on Christmas Day, and Detroit remains top dog out East and one of the most balanced teams overall. They could potentially get two All-Stars for the first time since the Goin to Work era. What a time.

Game Vitals​

When: 10:00 p.m. ET

Where: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon

Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit

Odds: Pistons (-5.5)

Analysis​

I hammer home about the Pistons defense so much because it’s really a special group. The combination of elite on-ball defenders and rim protection is a championship formula. They have the No. 1 half-court defense per Cleaning the Glass. That bodes well for the playoffs.

The Thunder get a lot of pub for their defensive personnel, but Detroit has a slew of greats, too. The Thunder have eight players with a Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus of 1.0 or better. That’s super elite, but Detroit is in the ballpark.

Ausar Thompson: +3.0 (98th %tile)

Ron Holland: +2.8 (98th)

Javonte Green: +1.8 (94th)

Jalen Duren: +1.3 (90th)

Cade Cunnigham: +1.3 (89th)

Isaiah Stewart: +1.3 (88th)

Any stat that has Stew this low as a defender isn’t the end-all be-all (no stat is actually), but this paints a clear picture illustrating Detroit’s elite individual defenders. Duren has grown a ton as a team defender, and Cade has too, while showing on-ball stopper chops.

The rest of the players on that list are matchup nightmares for offensive weapons. Who on earth would be excited that Ausar is hounding them 94 feet?

These are the type of guys Avdija will need to go through to reach his career-high averages across the board. He got his in the earlier Pistons matchup, but there was a lot of Shaedon Sharpe and Jerami Grant down the stretch.

Sharpe has the potential to be an explosive scorer. His pogo stick bounce pops every game, and he’s an elite finisher at the rim. He has to figure out the jumpshot stuff, but he’s shooting 55% from 3 on 5.4 attempts over the last seven games. He’ll be high on the scouting report tonight.

The Blazers have juice, but they don’t have *the guys* on the floor tonight. The last time the Pistons had two or more All-Stars was 2008. Big Shot, Rip, and Sheed represented Detroit in New Orleans.

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren could both make it this year. Cade is a lock. Duren’s quick start has slowed down a bit, but coaches value winning. The Pistons did their work early and still sit atop the East. Cade is an MVP-level player, but Duren is super impactful himself.

The counting stats are there (18/11 double-double), the advanced stats love him (+3.5 EPM), and wins have always mattered. The format changed again, so we’ll see if that helps or hurts Duren, but a 22-6 team has a case for two deserving All-Stars.

Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (22-6): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Portland Trailblazers (12-16): Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant (questionable), Donovan Clingan

Question of the day​

Where is Cade on your MVP ballot today?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...ers-preview-time-for-the-west-coast-road-trip

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Kings preview: Detroit looks to avoid disappointment on back-to-back

It’s pretty simple, really. The Sacramento Kings are at the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference, and the Detroit Pistons are at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Pistons field the second-best defense in the NBA, and the Kings have the second-worst defense. Detroit is in the top five in net rating, while Sacramento is second from last. The Pistons are better than the Kings and should win the game. Of course, so were the Houston Rockets, and they just fell to the Kings in overtime on Sunday night.

Game Vitals​

When: 10 p.m. ET
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -9

Analysis​

The Kings bested the Rockets courtesy of our old friend, Dennis Schröder, who hit a game-wining 3-pointer in overtime. He scored 24 points in total, matching his high for the season in his first year in Sacramento. The lineups are getting weird for Doug Christie over in Sactown as he looks for anything that makes his mishmashed roster actually make sense.

Keegan Murray played nearly 47 minutes, DeMar DeRozan played 40, and Russell Westbrook played 29 (scoring 21 points on 24 shots). Meanwhile, Schröder played 31 minutes off the bench while Malik Monk and Keon Ellis played a combined 13, and only had one basket and four shots between them.

Still, a win is a win, and Sacramento will take them in any way they can get them. The Pistons will be looking to stave off disappointment — the kind that can come when you’re traveling on the road on the second night of a back-to-back.

It probably does not shock you that I have not made time for many Sacramento games this season, so I did a bit of a dive into what they are uniquely bad at that the Pistons will attempt to exploit. The number screams off the page.

The Pistons must own the paint, and the Kings are often happy to oblige in that. They surrender 55.2 points per game inside and are a bottom-four team in rebounding on both ends of the floor. Considering the kind of damage both Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson were able to inflict on another terrible interior opponent in the Blazers, the young Detroit duo could be in for another huge night.

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (23-6)​

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Sacramento Kings (7-22)​

Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, Precious Achiuwa, Maxime Raynaud

Question of the Game​

When Cade Cunningham sits, what is the ideal five-man lineup for the Detroit Pistons?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...looks-to-avoid-disappointment-on-back-to-back

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs Kings final score: Detroit stops another comeback effort

The Pistons win again! This team is the No. 2 defense, but they can apparently scorch teams with over 70 points in a half, too. Detroit is one of the few teams that are a top 10 offense and defense, and they put it all on display against an overmatched Sacramento Kings squad.

The Kings fought to make this a competitive game. It’s the NBA, you aren’t going to blow a team out automatically because you were up by 20 at a point. It’s impressive how Detroit weathers every storm. They didn’t blow this lead tonight.

The Pistons had their track shoes on in the first quarter. They battled with DeMar DeRozan, who is still getting it done. Jumpers, up fakes, pivots, you name it. DeRozan is still a veteran bucket getter, but Detroit was too much.

Detroit flew up and down the court and manned the paint in the first quarter. They scored 11 fast break points to the Kings’ two.

Jalen Duren got some paint buckets to get it started, but Isaiah Stewart didn’t fumble the baton when it was his turn to post. Stew’s rim finishing has been great, and tonight was no different.

It doesn’t hurt when shots fall either. Cade got in rhythm, knocking down two first-quarter threes. Not ideal for Sacramento. For the game, Cade notched another double-double with 23 points and 14 assists. The efficiency is where you’d want it to be as well (6/10 2P 2/5 3P 5/6 FT).

Tobias Harris got in on the fun in transition and was a killer in key spots. The offense was overly flowing the whole first half. This was one of those halves where a contender shows a team its levels to this. It honestly seemed like Detroit was going to get 100 in the first half.

Ausar Thompson is getting fed up with the lack of calls he’s getting. Ausar picked up a T in the second after getting hammered and not getting a call.

It’s interesting seeing the quote-unquote quite twin showing more emotion as of late. Can’t say I don’t like it. He was fired up and was a double-digit scorer before halftime (19 points for the game, and his middy looks money sometimes).

Sacramento trimmed the lead to 17 at halftime. DeRozan is a tough cover. He was the only double-digit scorer for the Kings through two quarters (23).

The Kings wouldn’t send their loyal fans home without some effort. This was an 11-point game three minutes into the third. Duren wasn’t concerned with said effort. Duren was quick to the rim, where he played cleanup man and caught lobs. He was steady when Sacramento began cutting into the lead. Detroit moves to 11-0 when Duren scores 20. He’s pretty important.

Every time DeRozan would make something out of nothing, Detroit would hit back on the other end. In the middle of the 3rd, Duren hit Jaden Ivey and Stew for 3s on consecutive possessions, matching the Kings’ buckets.

Precious Achiuwa had a potential momentum swinging jam over Stew, but Stew hit another cold-blooded 3 the next time down. The Pistons countering the Kings at every turn could deflate upcoming opponents.

Any momentum the Kings had by the end of the 3rd was gone (until their late run). Stew and Tobias were carving them up with high-low actions, Caris LeVert flexed his sticky fingers defensively, and Javonte Green ripped a transition triple and dunked over two Kings to stretch the lead to 112-95.

Ivey got called for a flopping call shortly after that Green slam. I’m not certain if he flopped or not, but we see way more egregious sell jobs than that every night. He died on the screen, but it didn’t look like that warranted a flopping call on first look.

Back to the basketball stuff, Detroit entered the 4th up big, but the fighting Kings stayed in it. With about three and a half minutes to go, Sacramento trimmed the game to 10 after a smooth Nique Clifford midrange jumper.

Tobias matched that shot with a bucket, but DeRozan kept the pressure up on the other end. He put on a shotmaking clinic, finishing with 37 points, shooting 7/12 on jumpers.

With under a minute to go, Hack-a-Sur was deployed, but the 54% FT shooter stepped up and made some big ones. This turned into a free-throw contest down the stretch, and the Pistons prevailed. I should note that the Kings shot 37 FTs to Detroit’s 26, but that didn’t matter—another one in the win column.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...l-score-detroit-stops-another-comeback-effort

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Kings Discussion: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

It’s pretty simple, really. The Sacramento Kings are at the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference, and the Detroit Pistons are at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Pistons field the second-best defense in the NBA, and the Kings have the second-worst defense. Detroit is in the top five in net rating, while Sacramento is second from last. The Pistons are better than the Kings and should win the game. Of course, so were the Houston Rockets, and they just fell to the Kings in overtime on Sunday night.

Game Vitals​

When: 10 p.m. ET
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -9

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (23-6)​

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Sacramento Kings (7-22)​

Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, Precious Achiuwa, Maxime Raynaud

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...s-kings-discussion-game-time-tv-odds-and-more

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Under the Hood: Game 30 at Kings

Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

Firing on All Cylinders

The Pistons had three players (Tobias, Cade, Duren) with 20+ points last night, and it would’ve been four if Ausar made one more free throw. Here are some of my favorite plays from last night:

In the point guard role, Ausar makes a mean right-to-left crossover that draws the attention of most of the Kings defenders. This won’t show up in the box score, but he’s the reason Tobias got a wide open three on this possession.

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Cade with a Smooth Operator bucket from the midrange.

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And a coast-to-coast steal and and-one layup to start the fourth quarter.

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Duren continues to make a strong impact off the bounce.

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And I loved this possession out of him in the short roll – instantly read the defense and saw that Stew would be open in the corner.

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Transmission Trouble

There were way too many Cade turnovers last night.

Some of them were inaccurate passes.

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Some were from the double teams that Sacramento was sending at him.

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Mechanic’s Note

I really enjoyed a possession where Ausar did his best DeMar DeRozan impression right over DeMar himself.

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Later on in the fourth, Ausar walked down his sagging defender to the elbow where he confidently knocked down 15-foot jumper.

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He’s getting to his spots!

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/48782/under-the-hood-game-30-at-kings

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Under the Hood: Game 29 at Trail Blazers

Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

Firing on All Cylinders

Ausar Thompson put on an incredibly versatile offensive performance last night, and he did it without making a jumpshot.

He was putting defenders on posters as the roll man in the pick-and-roll.

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He was attacking the rim as the ballhandler in an inverted pick-and-roll with Cade. Portland guarded Ausar with centers Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III, so Cade setting this deep screen allows Ausar to get to the rim without Clingan contesting him.

I want to see more inverted pick-and-rolls with Ausar and Cade.

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He attacked Portland’s centers when they sagged off of him – this is a nasty Euro step for two points.

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He clamped up Shaedon Sharpe full court for a steal and dunk in clutch time.

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He put the dagger in the Portland comeback with a tip dunk over Donovan Clingan with a minute left in the game.

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Transmission Trouble

I’ve mentioned Jaden Ivey a couple times recently in Under the Hood, but he had a solid game with 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including a three. He added an assist and two steals in his 18 minutes as well. It was a good game for JI.

However, he played zero fourth quarter minutes. If he’s still on a minutes restriction, JBB stuck to it last night.

I believe so. Today is the one-month anniversary of his debut. He's played 14 games which isn't that many.

As a point of comparison, Ausar averaged 18.2 minutes his first 15 games back last season after missing eight months. Ivey missed 11 months and had two surgeries. https://t.co/D4nLGI1lB0

— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) December 23, 2025

The Freep’s Pistons reporter Omari Sankofa shed some valuable context when comparing Ausar’s return from injury to Ivey. Though, I wish we had confirmation that he was on a minutes restriction.

Mechanic’s Note

Another Ausar highlight, but this one’s to take a look at a quick set to still involve Cade and Duren in a pick-and-roll while Cade starts the possession off-ball.

Ausar’s playing point guard while Duren sets Cade an off-ball screen on the left wing. Cade curls the screen as he receives the pass from Ausar to set up the 2-on-1 opportunity. Clingan plays the middle between both Pistons players and Cade’s able to get up an easy layup.

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Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/48748/under-the-hood-game-29-at-trail-blazers

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Blazers final score: Ausar Thompson saves the day for Detroit

When this game started, it was setting up to be a disaster for Ausar Thompson and a masterclass from Cade Cunningham. When the horn finally sounded, with the Detroit Pistons surviving 110-102 over the Portland Trail Blazers, the script had flipped completely. Thompson was a hero late for Detroit, while Cunningham was stuck on the bench with six fouls.

Fouls were the name of this game, for good and for ill. The Trail Blazers shot 43 free throws compared to just 24 for Detroit. The saving grace for the Pistons was that the Blazers missed 14 of them.

Ausar picked up three quick fouls in the first 3:29 of the first quarter. Cunningham, meanwhile, was dicing the Blazers up. He had 12 points and four assists at halftime, and Portland had no answers for him or anyone else on the Pistons.

Detroit was able to increase its lead to 21 by dominating the paint and generating numerous transition opportunities courtesy of the turnover-prone Blazers. Detroit was plus-26 in the paint (66-40) and plus-26 on fastbreak points (34-8).

Then, with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter and the Pistons in complete control, Cunningham committed an inexplicable and obvious foul on Sidney Cissoko on a reach-around steal attempt, which looked much more like a frustration foul than an actual play for the ball.

The whistle sounded, as it needed to, and suddenly Cunningham had five fouls. By the end of the third quarter, Portland had whittled the lead to 17. Cunningham re-entered the game with 8:50 remaining and an 11-point lead. The Pistons had managed to score just two points in the fourth and needed their star to help them close out the game. Cunningham committed his sixth and final foul on the ensuing possession and earned himself a technical for good measure.

Thompson, meanwhile, had navigated his three early fouls with gusto. He was picking his spots on defense, being aggressive when warranted, and making things happen on the offensive end. He didn’t pick up his fourth until after Cunningham had fouled out of the game.

However, the Pistons’ offense struggled mightily in the fourth quarter, as Portland seized the momentum and hit big shot after big shot, while Detroit was discombobulated and clanging shots off the rim. When Toumani Camara splashed in a three from the top of the key with 4:13 left, Portland took its first lead of the game, 100-99. Detroit had scored four points and looked destined to lose.

Tobias Harris was able to coax himself to the charity stripe and sink two to give the Pistons the lead back. Then Thompson stole the ball near midcourt and coasted in for a quick dunk to pad the lead to three. He skyed to rebound a missed free throw and fed the ball to Jalen Duren for a tough layup in traffic to put the lead at five.

Duren was a monster all night, battling inside against Donovan Clingan and Portland’s wings. He led all scorers with 26 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. After trading buckets and quieting the crowd a bit, a Thompson putback dunk off a Harris miss with 58 seconds left gave Detroit a seven-point lead and sealed the win for the Pistons.

Thompson finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, and three assists. Cunningham ended the game with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, six rebounds, and nine assists.

In a game without Ron Holland, who rested a sore knee, Jaden Ivey stepped up too. He played consistently in the first half before seemingly hitting his minutes cap at 18 minutes. The Pistons fly to Sacramento for a game tomorrow against the Kings, which likely means Ivey’s minutes restriction was even tighter than usual.

Ivey was 5-of-8 from the floor, including a couple of nifty reverse-glass layups, a smooth mid-range make, and a corner three.

The Blazers were led by the acrobatics of Shaedon Sharpe. He scored 25 points, but again made questionable decisions with the ball in his hands. He was 1-of-6 from deep, and a few of those attempts didn’t need to happen, and he committed eight turnovers.

Deni Avdija struggled at the line, hitting just nine of his 15(!!!) attempts. He flirted with a triple-double (eight rebounds, nine assists) as Detroit built its entire defensive game plan around making sure someone was in front of Avdija at all times, and it created a lot of open passing lanes to eager teammates. He finished with 18 points on 4-of-12 shooting.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...core-ausar-thompson-saves-the-day-for-detroit

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs Trailblazers Discussion: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

The Detroit Pistons are looking for their fifth consecutive win against the Portland Trailblazers, which is impressive. However, it hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park in the previous four games. When these teams met up in December, the Pistons had to overcome a monster Deni Avdija game and were down five with just over 3 minutes remaining. Luckily, they could turn to Cade Cunningham. Cade scored 29 points total, including 13 in the final quarter to deliver the win for Detroit.

This game also kicks off a five-game West Coast swing for the Pistons. They will be without Ron Holland tonight, who is out with knee soreness. The Blazers will not have Jerami Grant, who missed his first game of the season on Saturday with Achilles soreness. Jrue Holiday hasn’t been seen in over a month and Scoot Henderson still has not made his season debut. It hasn’t stopped Portland from winning. They have won their past three games, though it was against the Warriors once and the Kings twice.

Game Vitals​

When: 10 p.m. ET
Where: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -6

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (22-6)​

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Portland Trailblazers (12-16)​

Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Kris Murray, Donovan Clingan

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...blazers-discussion-game-time-tv-odds-and-more

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Jazz Discussion: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

The Detroit Pistons are looking for their eighth win in nine games, with the only loss an overtime disappointment to the Dallas Mavericks. Standing in their way will be a struggling Utah Jazz team. They have lost four in a row, and they can lay all those losses at the hands of a dreadful defensive showing.

The Jazz have the second-worst defense in the NBA, and it is somehow getting worse by the day. In that four-game losing streak, the Jazz have surrendered 143, 128, 135, and 137 points, respectively. They can score, and the Pistons must ensure that no one explodes and gives the Jazz a fighting chance. Keep Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George in check, and Detroit should be able to cruise to a victory. If you let one or both go off for 35 points, it could be a long night.

Game Vitals​

When: 9:30 p.m. ET
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -9

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (24-6)​

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Utah Jazz (10-19)​

Keyonte George, Svi Mykhailuk, Ace Baily, Lauri Markkanen, Jusuf Nurkic

Question of the Game​

What is the best sports-related Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...vs-jazz-discussion-game-time-tv-odds-and-more

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Under the Hood: Game 31 at Jazz

Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

Firing on All Cylinders

Cade had one of his best games of the season last night as he finished with 29 points, five rebounds, 17 assists, two steals, and two blocks.

He was aggressive getting to the rim.

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He was knocking down off-ball three-pointers.

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When in doubt, he can always get to his trusty midrange step back.

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He made some great reads in the halfcourt offense, too.

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And this lob to Ausar was a thing of beauty.

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Transmission Trouble

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s Keyonte George’s game-winner.

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It’s crazy to think they had a chance at winning the game after a turnover like this just a minute beforehand.

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Here was Cade’s game-winning attempt at the buzzer. Looks like hitting Duncan Robinson in the corner was an option on this play as well.

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Mechanic’s Note

The hot topic of tonight’s game is Ausar’s minutes.

Thompson played in just under 16 minutes last night – he was subbed out after playing in the first four minutes of the second half, and then he never saw the court again. He’s noticeably missing from that final defensive possession with Caris LeVert in his place.

Jaden Ivey was another player that didn’t see any fourth quarter minutes. He hit that 14-minute mark once again, but it would be nice to see Ivey get some playing time in the clutch – minutes restriction or not.

It almost feels like Daniss Jenkins played the minutes that would’ve gone to Ivey down the stretch. Daniss didn’t hit the court until the four-minute mark of the third quarter, and he even saw two different fourth quarter stretches when Cade needed a breather.

Javonte Green played the final five minutes and Caris LeVert played the final four. Duncan Robinson was subbed out for LeVert and then didn’t see the court until the final offensive possession.

I’m not sure if Ausar was injured, sick, or in JB Bickerstaff’s doghouse, but Thompson was built for playing defense on final possessions like that and it’s a bummer we didn’t get to see him guard Keyonte there.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/48805/under-the-hood-game-31-at-jazz

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs Clippers preview: Get out in transition

The Detroit Pistons dropped a close one to the Utah Jazz, then the Jazz turned around and beat the San Antonio Spurs on a back-to-back. That’s the league for you.

The Pistons can get back on track against the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. The Clippers looked like a tanking squad, but they have a pulse now.

Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have the Clippers playing their best ball of the season, but they’re still a dreadful transition and defensive team.

Defensively, it’s a challenge to get back for LA. Offensively, the Clippers are efficient in transition but dead last in how often they get on the break. Those flaws are something Detroit should aim to exploit.

Game Vitals​

When: 9 p.m. ET

Where: Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, California

Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit

Odds: Pistons -3

Analysis​

Detroit had 18 fast break points against the Jazz — identical to their season average. There will be more chances against the Clippers.

LA’s transition defense issues didn’t start this year. The coaching staff believed transition defense was the main culprit in their first-round series loss to the Denver Nuggets last year. These shirts haven’t made a difference at all.

The Clippers rank 27th in opponent fast-break points. That’s a perfect recipe for the young guns in Detroit. Make this a game of youth and legs. Force the older guys to run.

37-year-old Brook Lopez has started the last two games, and it’s safe to say he’s made an impact. He buried *nine* 3s in their last outing. He’s been the ultimate 3-and-D big in the second portion of his career. Another game to track Jalen Duren’s play against stretch bigs. I’d say he’s been much better in those matchups than years past.

Foul trouble limited Duren against the Jazz, so he should be fired up, ready to abuse the Clippers. With Ivica Zubac out for the foreseeable future, Lopez is the only center on this Clippers roster with extended NBA experience. We need dominant Duren.

Harden has turned back the clock, averaging 26.3 points — his highest average since he averaged 34 in 2020. He’s a special player. All the special guys draw Ausar Thompson, and twin is coming off a brief 15-minute outing. I’d bet he’s eager to get back on the floor immediately.

Ty Lue-led Clippers teams can usually count on having a good to great defense. Not this year. Their overall defense is as bad as their transition D. The Clippers are the 28th-ranked defense on the season with garbage time filtered out.

They’ve played better the last two weeks (3-2 record, No. 7 offense), but their defense is still below league average during their best stretch of basketball.

This used to be a matchup where I’d think “yeah, they have the defensive infrastructure to muck it up for Cade”. I’m not there anymore, as the want-to and personnel aren’t the same for the little brothers in LA. Cade will be out for blood looking to avenge that last-second miss in Salt Lake City.

Kawhi Leonard can ramp up the defense in big moments, but he’s not his 2014 self anymore. It’s just good to see him on the floor. He’s averaging 26 a game like Harden, but Kawhi is shooting a bonkers 98.2 percent from the FT line. José Calderón holds the all-time record at 98.1 percent. Kawhi is more than in range.

All in all, the Pistons have a lot of things working in their favor in this matchup. Force the Clippers to run and score when advantageous opportunities present themselves. These Clippers aren’t a heavy second effort team — the antithesis of these Pistons.

Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (24-7)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Los Angeles Clippers (9-21)

James Harden, Kris Dunn, Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, Brook Lopez

Question of the Day​

JB Bickerstaff is the best Pistons coach since?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detr...ons-vs-clippers-preview-get-out-in-transition

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Under the Hood: Game 32 at Clippers

Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

Firing on All Cylinders

There wasn’t a whole lot to enjoy in this one, but Jalen Duren showed multiple flashes of expanding his game in the first half.

We’ve seen him take this jumper a few times now when his defender sags down at the top of the key.

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A shot like this next one is where I think he could really help the offense. Even the threat of a 15-foot catch-and-shoot jumper can pull the center away from the rim.

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Adding a floater to his offensive bag is a great idea, too.

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Last, I didn’t think this was a great look, but JD was obviously confident as he knocks down his third jumper in the first half.

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Transmission Trouble

Kawhi Leonard exploded for a career-high 55 points and he did it on an absurdly low 26 shots.

How are you stopping him when he’s making shots like these?

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He was on a mission last night and I’m not sure anyone could’ve stopped him.

Mechanic’s Note

Jaden Ivey Minutes Watch is back on.

He played 29 minutes last night! That’s his highest mark so far this season and only the second time he’s seen over 20 minutes. Only Cunningham and Duren saw more playing time than Ivey after he played roughly 14 minutes in four of the previous five games.

He struggled from the field, but he nailed two of his five three-point attempts – and this is the area I think the team could use him the most. He is currently the team’s best three-point shooter (39.6%) ahead of Duncan Robinson (38.7%), Caris LeVert (38.4%), and Isaiah Stewart (36.6%).

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Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/pistons-videos/48846/under-the-hood-game-32-at-clippers

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs Clippers Discussion: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

The Los Angeles Clippers were supposed to be a bit of an underrated darling this season. With fewer expectations but a level of star talent, NBA nerds argued they could surprise. Well, their season got off to that kind of promise, anyway. The Clippers won three of their first five games. Then they said, “Hello darkness, my old friend.” Over their next 22 games, they managed to win just three. With no control over their own picks and a roster looking like one of the worst in the league, it got really dark in Clipperland. They have righted the ship a bit, winning three in a row. That means, just like with the Utah Jazz, the Detroit Pistons can’t afford to take this team lightly. Of course, the Pistons took the Jazz lightly and lost. They also seemed relatively disgusted with their level of effort. We will see if that self-recrimination and an off day for practice have helped them lock back in. Otherwise, this will be turning into a pretty sad end-of-the-year road trip.

Game Vitals​

When: 9 p.m. ET
Where: Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, California
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -3

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (24-7)​

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Los Angeles Clippers (9-21)​

James Harden, Kris Dunn, Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, Brook Lopez

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detroit-pistons-game-day/48840/__trashed