Detroit Pistons vs New York Knicks - 3/25/2024
Game Breakdown
Pistons - 99 - 124 L
Sasser, Ivey, Brown Jr., Evbuomwan, Wiseman
Another unnecessary offensive foul for a turnover and this one is to start the game….and committed by your “PG” on a DHO
Turnovers coming early and often
Tied for last in TOV% in the NBA this season
Another game, Another Offensive Foul by Wiseman
Make it 2 with an illegal screen in the 3rd
Completely blow a coverage of Spain/Stack action which is something you see in just about every NBA game
I suppose that’s expected when the 3 guys involved (Flynn-Fournier-Metu) have barely seen the court together
SASSER can absolutely create separation for himself to get that jump shot off
I wonder how much further he can even take this as he gets older and learns the ins and outs of the NBA game
Maybe he is just simply a flamethrower off the bench
Jumper off the bounce looks good tonight from 3 and has some nice mid range pull ups as well
The double cross into a stepback on McBride was NICE
I love his shot making but I still find myself wishing he was better on true C&S
Maybe my expectations are too much because every time I look at the numbers they are pretty good
Has had a couple nice drive and kicks in the 1st quarter that I like seeing
Nice drive and lob to Wiseman who just isn’t able to finish
That floater game is going to be vital for him
EVBUOMWAN knocks down his first corner C&S 3PA
IVEY is actually doing a decent job early in the game collapsing the paint and getting teams looks
Settles for a 3 on his first attempt (2nd one also and the 3rd)
2 of these 3 he absolutely had a defender closing out that he could have attacked
And then turns it over because he is too loose with the handle
This is definitely something that would be nice to see improved over the offseason (happens again in the 3rd by same defender)
Had someone bring up to me Ivey’s emotions
I do wonder if he let’s the emotions of the game get to him to much and that’s why we see some of the decisions from him that we do
I think he throws passes where HE thinks guys should relocate to, which isn’t awful BUT, if they don’t do that then it doesn’t matter where HE thinks they should be
He has to know his teammates and throw the pass where they ARE going to be
Enough with the palms up after every single attempt and miss
A little Luka(ish) with one in the 2nd quarter where he doesn’t get back in transition defensive because he is arguing with the official
2:10 2nd Quarter he shows really nice nuance in the ball screen, snakes it and hits a wide open mid range pull up jump shot
Just stay in this world right here, find these good process plays (make or miss) and live in those….stop stepping outside of them
Ensuing possession he takes a no chance stepback 3 in late transition, awful awful process
The rim finishing, which truly had progressed at the start of the year, is back to what we saw in his rookie season
Off the ball awareness and engagement shows up again
You have to stay LOCKED IN when DiVincenzo was shooting like he was in the 3rd and he simply isn’t close enough
This was probably the most disappointing aspect of his game from this game for me, just not staying as locked in with DiVincenzo has he should have been in the 3rd quarter
WISEMAN actually has good hand activity in a ball screen possession where he deflects the ball but can’t come up with it and still ends up in Hartenstein bucket
Continues to show some nice touch in that short mid range area
FLYNN with a couple nice ball screen uses here in the 1st quarter
Then makes a bad decision on a runner after McBride threw it off his back on BLOB
METU giving them some good minutes at the “5”
Hits a little floater
Great hand activity in the ball screen forces a Knicks TO
Multiple defensive possessions with good hands that end in deflections or steals
Really nice on ball perimeter possession vs McBride
This has been his best game with the Pistons playing as an undersized center
RHODEN just shooting form and fluidity is actually the guy that always catches my eye
%s aren’t great in 23 games with the Pistons over 2 seasons
College numbers don’t really stand out positively either
The G LEAGUE numbers are what will catch your eye
41% on over 260 attempts the past 2 seasons
IMO, there is no reason for this team to “tank” down the stretch of the season. The only thing it changes between the worst and 2nd worst record is you take 20% out of falling to 5 and put it on 6. It does not change ANY odds for 1-4. I don’t think this draft has any sort of top 5 or anything like that and therefore I see much more value in guys playing and MAYBE winning some games. With that said, I have no idea the severity of the injuries that some of the guys (outside of the obvious ones, Ausar/Stew) are dealing with and if it makes more sense to not “push them” in these games, I understand.
Knicks
Brunson, McBride, DiVincenzo, Hart, Hartenstein
Their ball and player movement is just flat out beautiful on some of these possessions
Best winning % in the NBA when leading by 10+ points
HARTENSTEIN with a nice looking push floater to start the game
Follows it up with a really nice backdoor pass a couple possessions later
Then a great ball screen drop recovery and rim contest on Wiseman
ALL of these in the first 2 minutes
I think he is VERY impactful defensively with his positioning, hands, etc.
I just like his game so much and I can not wait to see what happens with him in free agency
BRUNSON forcing double teams in the mid post because he is so good at his size is just amazing
DIVINCENZO 3-point shooting is just awesome
Can’t help but love a guy who knows EXACTLY what his role is and absolutely engulfs himself in it and thrives
Such a pure 3-point shooter, ultimate confidence, great relocations, doesn’t let a miss or two phase him, I love it
Breaks the Knicks single game record for 3PM (11)
Twice he gets the steal from behind after Ivey drives around him
ACHIUWA has the 6th most OREBs in the NBA since Jan. 1st
Like McBride, has taken full advantage of the opportunity he has gotten with their injuries
MCBRIDE really gets after it on the ball defensively
BOJAN throwing that overhead pass straight out of bounds makes you appreciate how “EASY” Luka/Jokic make it look when they do it
HART with an outside chance of tying, or breaking, the Knicks single season triple double record