Detroit Pistons vs New York Knicks (Summer League)

Game Breakdown

*Special Situations*

• The retro jersey game at Summer League is one of the coolest things to lock in on as you walk around the arena

Pistons

• Jenkins, Lanier, Holland, Klintman, Smith

  • Seems to be a real emphasis on defensive disruption, multiple steals in the first 5 minutes of the game

  • In terms of actually winning games in Summer League, they are a little low on true center size

  • 10 first half TOs have probably been the biggest negative, so far

• HOLLAND being aggressive off the dribble early but looking to pass and create for teammates more than finish

  • First two of those result in TOs by teammates

  • 4 paint touches in the first 2 minutes of the game

  • Continues throughout the first half of the 1st quarter

    • Has done it in multiple playtypes

  • The passing has actually been really solid in the 1st quarter with no assists to show for it

  • Back to back 3PMs in the 3rd quarter

    • Corner C&S + Corner Off the Dribble

    • Has another off the dribble at the top of the key to closeout the 3rd quarter

    • Most impressive might be in the 4th quarter running off an ATO designed baseline action for a movement corner 3PM

  • Honestly, this is about the exact type of performance you would have wanted to see from your 2nd year, former #5 overall pick

• SMITH showing off some really athleticism on the defensive end

  • He has done some really nice things on both ends of the court

  • Even done a little bit off the bounce

  • Misses a couple below the rim finishes to start the 2nd half

• JENKINS jumper looks good early on, love this along with what he does defensively

  • Playing with a ton of energy

  • Just absolutely continues to look like a great two way/g league PG for your organization

  • Done a nice job distributing the basketball

  • Think he has told the Knicks bench about it after every made shot and assist

  • Knicks making a run to start the 3rd quarter and he’s the one to calmly get a bucket to momentarily slow it down

  • Goodness, the jumper looks really, really good

• LANIER struggling with the ball in hand to start the game

  • Need to get him some easy off the ball looks

  • Purposely putting him in all of these on ball situations???

  • Finally gets a C&S and knocks it down

    • Everything else up to this point had been off the dribble in some capacity and not successful

  • Knocks down a mid range pull up and and creates an OREB opportunity early in the 3rd quarter

  • Probably need to re watch where I can really focus and rewind possessions to see where the defense was

• ZIEGLER absolutely gets after the ball handler defensively

  • Always getting up under the offensive player and if he does get beat he is looking to back tip

• KLINTMAN struggling to score the basketball but has filled up the rest of the box score

  • Still showing the passing flashes

    • This continues to be a REAL + for the position/role he plays

    • NBA person sitting next to me on press row continue to talk about how impressive this was as well

  • Couple rough attempts at the rim trying to attack a rim protector

  • Beautiful weakside rotation block

• KEELS knocks down 2 really good looking 3PAs

  • Has improved this 3P shooting every season in the G League

Knicks

• Kolek, Beauchamp, McCullar, Dadiet, Hukporti

• KOLEK very, very crafty

  • Plays extremely hard

  • Has done a nice job running the offense for them

  • Has probably been their most impressive player thus far in this game

  • Hasn’t been able to knock down any of his 3PAs, though

• BEAUCHAMP really struggling offensively, with his years of experience he should look much better than this

  • These are the types of players I do get worried about with these performances in summer league situations

  • Makes some shots in the 2nd quarter

• DADIET has been a non factor through 12 minutes of the game

  • Much more aggressive offensively to start the 2nd half

• MCCULLAR has played extremely hard and found a way to make an impact on the defensive end

  • Has been aggressive off the dribble

  • Putting together a really nice two way game

  • I think he probably looked the most “this guy MIGHT find a spot in in the rotation” player if they really needed it

• HUKPORTI has had a couple really nice plays

  • Short roll floater and multiple rim protections