Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics - 3/22/2024
Game Breakdown
Pistons - 102 - 129 L
Cade, Ivey, Brown Jr., Evbuomwan, Wiseman
End of the 1st Quarter is just another example of what we have watched all year, other teams executing better in those situations OR just making plays
Pistons get a shot clock violation, Pritchard makes a play and knocks down a pull up 3P
Getting some nice shot making contributions from Brown Jr. and Rhoden in the 1st half
Celtics broadcast is bragging up the LCA Media Room Food
Having got to experience this a few times myself…..it is AWESOME!!! S/o LCA for the way they take care of the media with that food
CADE first possession of the game is very indicative of where he is right now for me
Makes a really nice drive through physicality on White, creates enough separation to get a little floater off and misses short
Another offseason adding strength and balance and he finishes these
AND once he starts finishing these…..he takes off
He is essentially getting to the rim whenever he wants right now
LOVE the 3PA around 9:00 1st quarter where he comes down in transition and gets the quick ball screen (missed BUT I like him taking these shots)
Has another one at 4:00 in the 2nd that I like BUT THE SHOT IS FLAT AGAIN
Arm Angle on the Follow Through has to be more UP and not OUT
The make a couple minutes later is the perfect example, much harder of a shot but I wonder if because the contest was there it forced a better angle
I think he is just going to have chemistry with ANY lob threat big (we have seen it with just about everyone he has played with)
Thought he played some solid defense in this one
There have been more of these than not recently which is very much a positive trend
WISEMAN getting MAJOR love from Scalabrine on the Celtics broadcast
Finishing a lot of plays here in the 1st quarter
I do like the touch in that little 3-8 feet range
82% 0-3 and 54% 3-10 this season
He falls into the turnover issue of the “other guys” I have been talking about
Has 2 really bad travels just in the 2nd half
Didn’t have one this game but almost every game he has an illegal screen turnover
There is the offensive foul late in the 4th, that’s 3 2nd half turnovers from your play finishing big
I don’t mean this to come off so negative towards Wiseman but it’s just the perfect example
EVBUOMWAN has had some nice defensive possessions early
Staying in front on ball, dig into the post and deflection
He has been all over the place in the first six minutes with MULTIPLE impactful possessions
What can he bring offensively?
36% from 3 in G League this year
Goes 2/5 in this game with back to back makes from the corner
These are the ones he would have to make to stick in the league
Wasn’t a great shooting profile coming out of college
Great passer and ball mover
SASSER can absolutely create space but I do feel like the ball tends to stick in his hands when he has it
AVERAGE SECONDS PER TOUCH
Cade - 5.24, Sasser - 4.88
Ivey is next at 3.54
AVERAGE DRIBBLES PER TOUCH
Cade - 4.91, Sasser - 4.90
Ivey is next at 3.30
LOVE the drive and dump off to Wiseman late in the game
I want to see more of this where he uses his ability to create space to get teammates involved
Another one next possession
IVEY HAS to figure out the control and nuance on his passes
Accuracy and velocity is SOOOOO important AND knowing who you are passing to and what they can handle
He has made some really nice reads though
Him (and Cade) do create a TON of OREB opportunities for the bigs with the way they attack the rim
Obviously, you want them to finish these BUT rim pressure should still be valued
FOURNIER with another rough performance
BROWN JR. was bad defensively on the ball in this game
Doesn’t really matter long run because he isn’t going to be on this roster but just stood out to me
METU, again not a long term piece so doesn’t really matter, with 2 turnovers in the 3rd quarter is yet another example of the “other guys” on this team making turnovers
This has to be a point of emphasis next year
Cade, Ivey (assuming role) and Sasser (based on how they have played him) are going to turn it over some but are really the only guys that *can* turn it over
Everyone else, based on role, can not be making those mistakes….ESPECIALLY THE BIGS!
RHODEN with a couple nice looking jump shots
And then turns it over in transition immediately after I type this
Celtics
Pritchard, White, Brown, Tillman, Porzingis
Celtics are essentially 1st in the NBA in every 1st quarter stat, think this probably speaks to just how good that starting group is (AND how good the different iterations of it is) - +18.8 1st Quarter Net Rating
Run an off the ball action with Brown setting a screen away for Porzingis that forces a switch and gets a mismatch they want
This is interesting AND shows the versatility of Porzingis because you do have to defend this action because of his ability to shoot off that screen or curl it and take a dribble or two to the rim
PRITCHARD IS HOOPIN’
Last 20 games
10.6 PPG on 51-44-100 and 3.2:1.1 ASST:TOV ratio in 22.6 MPG
Such a pest defensively
Bullying guys in the lane to get to a finish
Hardest playing player on the court for the entirety of the game
Even after they had built the lead
PORZINGIS is so valuable, just that archetype of big that every team wants/needs
Floor spacing with rim protection
Can also run those isolations for him at the hi post which he was really good just shooting over defenders
Were able to get mismatches for him to do this
BROWN defensive energy has been pretty good here in the 1st quarter
Has been very disruptive
HAUSER floor spacing is something EVERY team could use
And he is so much more than a stand still guy