Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls - Summer League

Game Breakdown

Pistons - 85 - 77 W

• Sasser, Jenkins, Holland, Klintman, Smith

  • More zone from an opposing team (eye roll)

    • I will say, was surprised they didn’t have a zone set ready coming out of halftime

  • Pistons offense (maybe some credit to Bulls defense) has just not created many quality looks

  • Loved hearing Harris talk about his goal being a great leader and the satisfaction of seeing the younger guys improve and succeed

  • Maybe I am crazy but I feel like the defensive fundamentals and principles have looked solid for SL

    • Rotations, gap help, low man, multiple efforts for recovery, etc.

  • MCCOY with some real highlight plays with the quarter buzzer beaters and the the look off pass in transition

• HOLLAND takes the Buzelis matchup defensively, this should be fun to watch

  • Pretty nice iso possession midway through the 2nd quarter, followed by good closeout but then gives up the drive

    • Fights over ball screen and stays in front late in the 2nd

    • Stays in front and blocks 3PA in the 3rd

  • First couple of attempts are high level of difficulty

  • Love the aggressive mentality but may have to learn the decision making of turning those down (don’t hate it as much in context of Summer League) 

    • AND just have to hope he figures out the right touch to finish some of these

    • Would have really liked to see him finish the ones in transition

    • There is a nice poster in the 3rd quarter 

    • You can also see some of the struggles with mapping the court and decision making, NOT selfish but just struggling to make the right decision

      • Forces a pass to Klintman in corner when the big was wide open under the rim

  • Drives into a post up (I so want this to be an emphasis for Cade this season)

  • 3PA still looks fluid to me (see his first make)

    • 2nd attempt looks bad BUT those aren’t ones I am worried about him making (he shouldn’t have to take those this season)

    • 3rd attempt (corner off a swing-swing vs Zone) are the ones you would love to see him make consistently

    • 4th attempt looks like he has a left to right motion on his follow through

  • Mid Range pull up was smooth

    • Would still like to see more elevation (note from pre draft film) but I think it was a little more than what I remember

  • Nice baseline cut from the corner, has to be a great off ball cutter

    • Pistons might have got 2 of the best in this draft class (Klintman)

  • GREAT weakside rotation on first defensive possession of 2nd half

  • Couple nice passes, not high level reads but solid and unselfish

• JENKINS seems to have a pretty explosive first step and for a “smaller” player he really takes long strides on his drives

  • Definitely has an ability to change gears

  • Love an off the ball hammer to the corner late 2nd quarter, shows ability to play on or off the ball (he does miss the attempt)

  • Spring boards the run to start the 4th with….

    • Transition 3

    • Verticality contest in the lane

    • Contests another jump shot

    • Drive and dump off

    • Forces timeout in backcourt

  • 2:08 4TH, Pistons up 5 and Bulls in transition, he gets a hand on a potential Bulls OREB that directly leads to Holland transition finish on the other end

    • 1:20 4TH it was his on ball defense that led to the turnover and another transition that ended with Holland points and probably the icing on the cake

  • Some of the ball screen navigation is really fun to watch

• KLINTMAN just not crazy comfortable off the bounce right now but when he does have himself under control you can see the positive outcomes he could create 

  • He has a really, really good feel for off the ball movement

  • I like his energy on the boards, on both ends

  • WHAT A PASS AROUND 7 MINUTE MARK

    • Looks off the defender

  • Has been better defensively than I thought he might be early on

• SASSER seems to be having trouble navigating these ball screens

  • Could be Sanogo setting that good of ones

  • I know he can create his own shot with the ball in his hands (and there is value in that) but I just continue to not see him really “operate an offense” even in the way we see other young guards in Summer League

  • I truly think his value comes as an off the ball floor spacer 

• SMITH is a guy I am not sure how talented he is but he does seem to find himself around the ball and action all the time

Bulls 

• Steward, Drell, Phillips, Buzelis, Sanogo

• BUZELIS continuing to show his high level vertical pop

  • Looks very comfortable, and strong, on a transition drive here early

    • Has been able to play through contact on drives

  • Soft touch on a floater

  • Shows some wiggle vs a mismatch

  • Shown active and accurate hands to be a defensive playmaker 

    • And his effort in recovery situations really helps highlight this even more

    • Shows this a couple times in the 4th quarter with blocks

  • Hasn’t knocked down any jump shots in the 1st half

    • Even turned one down to start the 2nd half

    • Hits a smooth looking no dip in the 3rd

• STEWARD has thrown a couple really nice passes

  • He’s put together a pretty decent first half offensively

  • Strong start to the 2nd half as well

• PHILLIPS is a player I really liked a year ago

  • You can see the slashing and athleticism

  • Has to be able to put the rest of the skill level together

  • You see the athleticism and defensive disruption potential on that end as well