Detroit Pistons vs Minnesota Timberwolves (Summer League)

Game Breakdown

Pistons

• Jenkins, Lanier, Holland, Klintman, Smith

  • Defensive energy and disruption is awesome to start the game

    • Forced 5 TOs in the first 4 minutes of the game

  • Off ball defensive rotations have been on point to start the game

  • Offense completely disappears in the 2nd quarter

  • I didn’t want to put a bunch of quotes from it but I did think the JB Bickerstaff in game interview was interesting to listen to

• SMITH continues to do some nice things putting the ball on the deck for one or two dribbles in DHO type situations

  • I am not sure there is any NBA future here but I like the things he does for this level (and G League) of basketball

  • Big time block on Beringer

• KLINTMAN is a good passer (rinse and repeat)

  • Definitely looks more comfortable driving to pass than driving to score (already has 2 or 3 drive and dump offs in the first 4 minutes of the game)

  • Has a great one more pass to get Lanier his first 3PM of the game, he just keeps the ball moving

  • Feel like he is showing up on the boards

    • BOTH ends

  • Scoring ability continues to be a little bit of a struggle, from all levels in the 1st half

    • Has even shown off a decent handle for role/position but not able to pay it off with buckets

  • I do think the defense has been solid

  • Has now had a couple TOs in the 2nd quarter

    • Loose with the ball and bad passing decision

    • TOs continue into the 4th quarter as well

  • Has shown an ability to get to his passing game in different playtypes

    • Off the dribble, PnR shot roll, Cut, OREB (had two of these that led directly to 3PAs)

• LANIER gets good looking C&S 3PM to start the game

  • TREMENDOUS closeout in the 2nd quarter

    • Under control, doesn’t get out of position and contests the shot attempt

  • Another nice point of attack isolation possession vs Clark in the 3rd quarter

    • Follows this up with some extra effort and forces a TO

  • Bad mistake in the 3rd quarter where he does a nice job tagging the roll man but then gets completely out of position on the recovery from the ball fake of Dillingham

  • Understandable, for now, but seems like the makes are on the unguarded C&S and the misses have been anything contested or off movement

    • This is definitely the “eye test”, haven’t looked at the stats

• JENKINS with another nice start to the game

  • Pressuring the paint, mid range jumper, defensive intensity

  • Fun change of pace finish at the rim

  • I just really like the pace he plays with and how under control he stays

    • Just a sick back dribble to freeze the defender, uses this a couple times every game

  • Knocks down another C&S 3P

  • Seems to have a great chemistry with Smith in ball screen situations and just general drives and Smith knows to be cutting down the middle of the lane

  • Man, I am not sure if he ends up earning a 15 man roster spot (I assume it doesn’t become that, this offseason at least) but hard to say he isn’t doing everything he can to try and earn it through these 3 games

• HOLLAND has done a nice job pressuring the paint but to varying degrees of success

  • Missed a couple shots, might have been late on a couple passing decisions

  • Has shown some nice body control though

  • Think he has had a couple drives without a plan that ended up negative

    • Happens again to start the 2nd half, twice

  • One thing we KNOW with him is the confidence and the aggressiveness is never going to change or minimize, at all

    • Goes on a scoring spurt at the end of the 3rd quarter that shows the versatility of his scoring ability

  • Has been a somewhat inconsistent game thus far

  • Couple really nice defensive disruptions here in the 3rd quarter

• WILLIAMS has that scorers mentality, he comes in ready to get shots up

• CARRY is a strong and physical guard

  • Nice drive and finish in the 1st quarter

  • Follows with a nice pocket pass in the ball screen that the big can’t handle

  • Then a really nice drive and kick to the weakside corner for an open 3PA (missed by Williams)

Wolves

• Dillingham, Clark, Shannon Jr., Miller, Beringer

  • Tons of middle ball screens from them in the 1st quarter

  • IF they play this full range of the roster I think they have as good a chance as anyone to win Summer League

• BERINGER is so impactful around the rim on both ends of the court

  • Skill level still has some room for growth

  • Can absolutely get out in transition and run though

  • Going to have to figure out he can’t out jump people for finishes, he is going to face real rim protection where he has to have more nuance than that

  • You see the defensive impact with a couple lob break ups in the 4th quarter

• DILLINGHAM has been a handful for the Pistons to stay in front of

  • With that said, has had some struggles converting on some of these drives

  • Just an all around inefficient outing

• SHANNON JR. plays with so much energy

  • Back to back offensive possessions where he knocks down a corner C&S 3P and then follows up with a nice euro rip drawing the foul and finishing

  • I believe he has a chance for REAL minutes this year with the departure of NAW

  • Can he knock down 3PAs consistently?

  • Very under control drive and lob to his big

  • Feel like he puts pressure on your team on both ends of the court

  • Very good player when he is under control

• ZIKARSKY is just a massive human being

  • He is just so far away from being ready to play at this level of basketball

• MILLER has one of those jumpers that just doesn’t even look like something you want to buy into

  • Hits a big one to start the 4th quarter

  • And follows that up with a tough drive and finish through contact

  • Back to back buckets that probably puts the game away

• BAILEY has made a couple splash plays