Pistons - 107 - 89 W
Sasser, Ivey, Brown Jr., Metu, Wiseman
Last game Metu went rogue (I think) to get his mid post isolation and tonight it’s the actual call….interesting first play of the game
Ends in a air ball fadeaway
LOVE the 2nd Quarter ATO SLOB action to get Rhoden a bucket
Reward him for the way he had been playing up to this point in the game
Off ball back screen miscommunication gives up wide open dunk on Mavs first possession
Blow 2 transition opportunities (1 after a block and 1 after a steal)
I believe both ended up in turnovers even
A 3rd one here in the 2nd quarter that goes from what should have been points to a turnover
Get another blocked here in the 4th
They win this game but man….some of these transition possessions were rough
Just 5 turnovers in the 1st half, 6 for the game
6 point game with under 6 to play….can they close out?
Fournier with another drive left and right hand floater, such a tough shot
Ivey with a nice low man steal and then pushes the pace into an assist to Wiseman on a soft touch finish
Sasser refuses ball screen and gets downhill for a layup
Metu with a great deflection of a Hardy lob
***EVERYONE getting involved in some way right now***
Catch a couple breaks with the OMax missed layup (albeit, good hustle to put some pressure on him) and then Ivey gets fouled on a 3 ATO of a pretty bad offensive possession
Wiseman with a really nice tip out on the final FT that is missed, Metu saved it and Metu hit a 3 (I guess it was a long 2) at the buzzer
THESE, pretty or otherwise, are those possessions within a game that it seems like Detroit hasn’t made all year to win games
Metu bails them out with another make on the next possession
METU makes his first C&S 3PA and then makes his 2nd
Been mid 30% from 3 over the past 6 games
Makes a 3rd late in the 2nd
WISEMAN with a rim protection here early in the game (gets another a couple possessions later)
Follows transition to other end and gets the putback
He might have 3 blocks in the first 4 minutes here
Struggling a bit to put the ball in the basket right now
Missed two of those floaters and then gets off balanced and gets one blocked
Misses another short roll floater to start the 2nd
He’s been solid but would be even better if he could find the touch
There we go, hits his first one of the 2nd half
BROWN JR with a nice isolation cross-cross and dump off to Wiseman
SASSER handle is practical but I don’t think he always uses it the way he could and capitalize on driving lanes that he opens up
Forces a turnover by digging in on a drive off the ball
Almost a GREAT sequence but isn’t able to knock down the corner C&S 3PA
6:00 4th he runs a Ghost and Pop and turns down the C&S 3PA to take a dribble into a step back
Mid range pull up jumper is looking good (and the floater)
He has DEFINITELY found a flow here in the 3rd
WOW!!!! 13 points in 5 minutes of the 3rd
RHODEN comes in and forces a turnover and then hits a mid range jump shot
Jumper looking pure in the 1st quarter
What a transition block!!! He is putting together a nice game here so far
Has ANOTHER transition block end of the 3rd
And then finishes off the 3rd with yet another one!
And now starts the 4th with another mid range pull up!! (I love it)
Hits another mid range jumper right after I write this, take advantage of your opportunity young man!
Forces a TO on a Mavs transition with around 8:00 in the 4th when all the momentum was against Detroit
Fournier hits mid range on ensuing possession
GIBSON stays ready
Knocks down mid range jumper on his first possession
And his 2nd one as well, have to appreciate these vets that stay ready (always makes me think of Rodney McGruder)
Comes in and gets another bucket right away, 3-3
4-4, he can’t miss!
FLYNN forcing things a little too much
I like his defense, though
Nice stretch to end 3rd and start of the 4th with a couple made jumpers and a steal and layup
FOURNIER kind of the same way with some of his FGAs
And I know someone has to score with all of the guys that are out but still seems like they get a little too focused on just getting a shot up
He CAN put the ball in the basket though
He is pretty good with the driving left and right hand floater which is not an easy shot
He has a nice defensive play in the 4th that leads to Sasser FTs
IVEY hasn’t been able to get anything going
Don’t feel like he has gotten downhill into the lane so far
Has take a couple REALLY tough mid range jump shots
Rough catch and attack of the rim where he just jumps without a plan
Almost feels like he has been a non factor so far as we get midway 3rd quarter
7:00 3rd pull up 3PA is not process I believe in for him
Next 2 attempts are 3s and misses both
Mavs
Exum, THJ, DJJ, Washington, Gafford
Go even deeper into their bench for the 2nd half
THJ has been struggling a bit, could this be a “get right” game for him heading into the playoffs…?
WASHINGTON is so good with that floater
GAFFORD knows exactly who he is, doesn’t try to do too much, and does it well
KLEBER role in the playoffs will be interesting
Can he provide some floor spacing as a small ball 5? Will they need that with Gafford and Lively II? Do they ever try to play him with 1 of those 2
73% of his minutes at the 5 according to bball ref
OMAX with a couple nice dunk finishes
Has to knock down C&S 3PAs if he is going to be successful
Hits a couple in the 4th (I believe both in the 4th) and one late where his team really needed it
Shows a nice knack for off the ball cutting
HARDY is a player I have always believed in his potential to score the basketball