Detroit Pistons vs Memphis Grizzlies - 4/1/2024

Game Breakdown

Pistons - 108 - 110 L

• Cade, Ivey, Brown Jr., Evbuomwan, Duren

  • Don’t dislike the first action of the game but because of personnel its Evbuomwan getting the C&S 3PA and we know that’s just not something he does at a high rate

    • I know the % is good but the sample is just so small

    • LOVE the action midway through the 3rd ATO

      • Use Cade as a screen almost on his own man to get Ivey a downhill drive (have seen the Warriors do this with Curry or Bucks with Lillard, etc.)

  • Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers

    • Duren bad pass (or not on the same page as Evbuomwan), Cade bad decision, Ivey over attacks, Evbuomwan TO attacking a closeout, Wiseman 3 sec. Violation

    • Continues into the 2nd quarter and some of these are just so, so, so bad

      • I understand turnovers happen when the defense makes good plays but most of these are very much self inflicted (young team, i guess it makes sense)

  • PISTONS are 8th in Non-RA Paint FGAs and 6th in true Mid Range FGAs

  • That early offense/late transition wing pitch and follow between Cade and Ivey continues to be something that defenses struggle to defend

  • Give up back to back OREBs LATE in the game when they are down 2

  • Can’t help but wonder if you call a timeout for the last possession to get some better offensive players/floor spacers on the court for that situation, if nothing else

    • This is now twice in the last few weeks where we have seen Monty just let Cade play it out and neither time has ended up successful, will be interesting if he takes the timeout the next time it presents itself

• DUREN defense is something we have talked a lot about but I actually think getting his passing on par with what I thought coming out of college is something I will be really looking for next season

  • Leaves the game after about 5 minutes when his tooth gets knocked out by JJJ

• EVBUOMWAN with a nice left hand drive and finish

  • Has a really nice block on Jackson and then saves it from going out of bounds

  • Knocks down an open C&S 3PA, this is what he has to do if he wants to stick on an NBA floor

    • Gets another one to go

• IVEY effort defensively is good, he just has to lock in and direct it better, more calculated

  • Complete lapse early in the 3rd that gives Kennard an open C&S 3PM, you have to be more engaged than this

    • Now gives up an off the ball face cut to Jackson that ends in a layup

    • Has not been a good stretch at all here in the 3rd quarter (had just committed a TO)

  • Knocks down his first 2 3PAs, both C&S

    • 3rd Attempt is probably one he has to take, defender going UNDER the ball screen

      • I just think 8 3PAs is far too many for him

    • I know people will say he has to take some of these off the catch to keep defense honest (and they helped off him A LOT in this game - *should be noted that the Grizz are a VERY HEAVY help out the “nail” team, in general) BUT I would pushback a little that as long as he attacks the closeout it’s still going to eventually make defenses defend it differently 

    • 3:30 1st he turns down a C&S to attack the paint and draws the defense for a wide open 3PA for Founier (missed)

      • Should be noted that the defense was in scramble because they had doubled Cade outside the top of the key

    • 3:03 1st makes a great cut off a Cade drive

      • :50 2nd he has another but blows the layup (I am starting to get worried about the rim finishing again after he showed progress to start the season)

      • Just find the good process and stick with it, that’s where he is going to find success

  • 7:10 1st I feel like he REALLY settles for a mid range pull up jump shot instead of attacking the rim (argument could be made that he would be challenged by JJJ BUT he had the angle and the driving lane to attack)

  • 10:30 3rd is a PERFECT example of Ivey’s passing

    • It’s the right read BUT it’s COMPLETELY off target (gets bailed out by a foul call)

• CADE possession around 6:40 1st is beautiful basketball

  • Comes off a pindown, shot fake, attacks, plays with pace, gets JJJ to commit just enough and then dumps off to Wiseman

  • Man, he has the mid range going early again in this one

    • 53% on attempts between 10-16 feet, 43% 16-3P

  • Absolutely love he takes the C&S 3PA around 5:00 in the 1st quarter, even off an off target pass

    • He has to make people pay for thinking they can help off of him (this would help Ivey, or whoever ends up in that role)

    • 4:40 2nd he takes (and makes) another one in transition

    • Knocks down a big one late in the game to tie it up

  • I still think he is showing a little more burst and twitch over the last few weeks on some of his drives in the open floor

    • Ball screen split and dunk at end of 1st half is another example

  • Talked about this with Sam Vecenie about Jalen Green’s recent progression

    • I wonder if Cade actually needs to keep his dribble alive more, sometimes he picks it up and then eliminates some of his options

  • He can’t be letting Pippen Jr. blow by him like he does mid 1st quarter

• FOURNIER just has not been able to make shots

  • 23 GP now and splits are 37-29

  • Not sure I agree with some of these FGAs

  • FINALLY, A MAKE (and he has the look to the sky reaction that makes you know he is feeling the same way)

• METU giving them some REALLY good minutes here in the 1st quarter

  • Goodness, just go off here in the 1st half

  • Has put together a really solid game

• WISEMAN attacking rebounds out of his area is something I really like seeing from him

  • I do think his energy level has been good during this stretch with consistent minutes

    • Made a note a couple weeks ago of him diving on the floor for loose balls

  • Nice block on LaRavia

  • Has a couple nice on ball isolation possessions vs JJJ where he forces a tough shot and miss

    • A 3rd one right before half

    • 3rd quarter is getting a little rough because he commits a couple fouls and now he’s in a tough spot

  • I like the way he sticks with the finish here early in the 3rd, doesn’t always have to be pretty if it gets the job done

• FLYNN has limitations defensively at his size but I love the way he competes and does some of the little things

  • When he is making shots he looks like a potential 4th/5th guard but he has to continue to do that more and more consistently

  • His %s in 17 GP with Detroit are actually close to the best of his career

  • Has had some nice attacks of the paint and tried to dump off to the big but wasn’t able to connect

    • Not sure if this was on him, bigs unable to catch or defense makes a good play on the ball

Grizzlies

• Pippen Jr., Kennard, Jackson, JJJ, Aldama

  • Make 1k 3P in a season for the first time in franchise history

• JACKSON taking the Cade matchup…did not anticipate seeing this to start the game but I am here for it

• JJJ being aggressive offensively is something I am really interested to see how much it translates into next season when they are fully healthy

  • I have enjoyed watching it though and good for him for being able to take on that role

  • They are just running straight isolations for him from the top of the key

    • Maybe give him a ghost screen

  • Has completely taken over this 3rd quarter and a lot of it has been off the bounce

    • The left hand finishing has been really impressive

  • Does seem like he got a heck of a whistle in this game

    • And doesn’t get the call on the 2 possessions right after I type this

• CLARKE back on the court and healthy is great to see 

  • AND he has a really nice game to go with being back

• LARAVIA being aggressive to get attempts in the lane

  • Has a beautiful off the ball cut in the 2nd quarter

  • Hits a big 3 to end the 3rd quarter

• KENNARD of course gets buckets