Detroit Pistons vs Indiana Pacers 2/22/2024

Game Breakdown

Pistons - 115 - 129 L

• Cade, Ivey, Fontecchio, Ausar, Duren

  • Opening action of the game is WIDE OPEN catch and dunk for Ausar off a Cade backscreen but Turner gets deflection (and steal) on Duren pass

  • Pistons averaging 2nd most TOPG in the NBA at this point in the season (Jazz only team worse)

  • ROTATIONS/SUBS

    • Fournier is the first sub off the bench, looks like he is going to be a mainstay down the stretch

      • Brown Jr. first sub off the bench in the 2nd half

    • Cade and Ivey are the first 2 starters to sub out…..why?

      • I truly want to know if this is their personal preference or if the coaching staff sees no value in staggering them

    • ALL BENCH UNIT ENTERS WITH 3:30 AND PISTONS DOWN 19-26

      • Ivey does come back in around the 2:00 mark

      • Bringing back Ivey doesn’t help much…..25-42 going into the 2nd quarter

    • STARTERS BACK IN AT 6:45 AND PISTONS DOWN 37-53

      • Cade-Ivey are back out 90 seconds later

      • 39-70 when Cade-Ivey come back in with a minute to go in the 1st half

    • STARTERS (plus Brown Jr. for Ausar after a bit) get it down to 15

      • Cade gets blocked by Turner (just has to figure out the finesse of finishing these over the contest) and Hali gets a bucket on the other end

    • I can barely keep track of the subs and rotations, just seems to be all over the place

  • Said this multiple times but the Cade-Duren lob chemistry is a real thing

    • Actually has one with Wiseman at the end of the 3rd as well

• IVEY with a really rough start to the game

  • Turns it over on a “one more” pass where Hali jumped the passing lane and then “no chance” mid range that Turner blocks

  • He still is settling for 3PAs a little too much for me

    • I want him WILLING but only as the 2nd option, he should always look to attack the paint 1st

• DUREN continues to have at least 1 possession per game where he beats his man off the bounce from the top of the key

  • I just wonder if for every one of these positive if there is a negative one where he turns the ball over

    • Is this still worth it for the long term development? How impactful is him being able to do this?

  • I think that push floater would be a huge area of growth for him over this offseason 

  • 28 double-doubles this year is the most by an NBA player in his age-22 season or younger

• FONTECCHIO continues to show more off the bounce than I could have imagined

  • Nothing crazy or creative but just downhill attacks and finishing

  • Now they have him operating more ball screens than I feel like is necessary…especially when he is on the floor with Cade and Ivey

  • Just hasn’t made 3PA at the rate you would want him to just yet

    • Love the attempts and the amount he is getting but hopefully that % upticks closer to that 38-40% (35% right now with DET, 58% from 2)

  • Taking the Siakam matchup and doing a fine job

• AUSAR just seems to never miss that 8-10 feet pull up jumper

  • Closing in on Pistons rookie record for consecutive games with a steal (Lindsey Hunter has the top 2 steaks in Pistons history)

• FOURNIER going to get the 2nd Unit Alec Burks usage….????

  • Does hit a few 2nd half 3PMs

• FLYNN comes in and does some really nice things

  • At least 3 paint touches in his first couple of minutes

  • Competes defensively

• CADE jump shot is pretty pure in this one

  • Follow through still comes out flat at times

  • All around really good performance for him

  • I still never worry about whether he can get to his spots and get his attempts, just has to consistently make them at a high rate

• WISEMAN length did come into play a few different times in this game and do give him credit for diving on the floor a couple times

Pacers

• Hali, Nembhard, Mathurin, Siakam, Turner

• TURNER has his imprints all over this game defensively to start

  • Deflections, blocks, etc.

  • Has a deflection and steal to start the 2nd half, just like the 1st

• HALI is just ridiculous

  • It’s not just the shot making….he does have some real wiggle and separation ability to get that shot off

  • Hits back-to-back-to-back (2 off the ball and 1 on the ball)

  • I feel like I am always undervaluing his all around scoring ability beyond the 3P shooting

    • 59% from 2 this season and 55% for his career

    • Hits a just ridiculous floater off the backboard going to his left with Ausar right there

  • Insanely aggressive, and productive, in the defensive passing lanes in the 1st half

• MCCONNELL comes in and just finds a way to make an impact in the game

  • FC pressing forces TO and foul

  • Knocks down a 3PM

  • Mid range pull up, on ball steal, lob to Toppin 

    • Just impactful play after impactful play

  • Pistons cut it to 11 early in the 4th and he makes a TOUGH baseline reverse layup

• SIAKAM has not been much of a factor in the 1st quarter

  • Immediately gets a bucket to start the 2nd quarter

  • These are huge minutes for him when Hali is out of the game and the offense runs through him

  • Never really got it going or in a real flow offensively

    • Does hit a couple tough buckets LATE that ices a game that wasn’t ever really in doubt but Pistons made somewhat interesting

• NEMBHARD may be on the shorter size but he is strong

  • Really make it tough on Cade

• JACKSON always impresses me with just his energy and athleticism

• BENMATH hasn’t had the best or the most efficient game

  • Some crazy attacks and FGAs

• TOPPIN actually stood out in a very positive way in this one, at least offensively