Detroit Pistons vs Orlando Magic - 3/3/2024

Game Breakdown

Pistons - 91 - 113 L

• Cade, Ivey, Ausar, Stew, Duren

  • This starting lineup is a nice defensive matchup for the Magic on paper BUT if you don’t even trust Fontecchio (over Ausar or Stew) to start and take Wagner/Paolo for 6 minutes…..I question the value of that trade a little more

    • For the record, I would start him because I think he has the size to at least hold up in these matchups….along with the floor spacing he provides

  • OFF BALL DEFENSIVE communication…..continues to be an issue

    • Simple flare screen in transition, Ausar calls switch, Duren doesn’t hear or doesn’t do it, Suggs gets a wide open layup

  • AGAIN, I really like an action ATO (this and improved defensive rotations in scramble situations are probably my biggest positives this season from coaching staff perspective)

    • False action on strong side into Zoom on the opposite side that gets Ivey an elbow pull up jumper (with better spacing on wing and corner he probably gets a downhill drive)

    • Mid 4th gets Fontecchio a wide open C&S 3PA off a flare screen with false action before (nice screen from Wiseman)

    • I think their defensive ROTATIONS actually may be the biggest improvement we have seen throughout this season (multiple good examples throughout games)

      • Which is frustrating considering how bad they are in screening/switch situations off the ball

  • ROTATIONS/SUBS

    • Fontecchio in for Stew is first sub

    • Fournier for Ivey is the second sub (Cade-Fournier-Fontecchio-Ausar-Duren)

      • Plays about a minute and gets Fontecchio wide open corner C&S 3PM off Cade drive and patented Cade reverse layup

    • ATO they go full bench + Stew at the 5 (I like them doing this with him at least)

      • Ivey now in with this group to start the 2nd quarter (in for Brown Jr.)

      • He is attacking the lane aggressively with this lineup

        • Go watch the layup with 9:20 in the 2nd quarter, hand off from Stew, attacks downhill with his right hand and the driving lane is open because defense respects Fontecchio and Fournier

      • They are getting really quality looks so far BUT they are not making them

        • Sasser misses a couple jump shots, Stew misses a PnR dunk

      • This stretch would have been better also but Stew and Ivey each get beat in isolation defensively

  • Goodness this got ugly really quick in the 3rd quarter

• CADE shot fake is truly something I think he has to improve this summer

  • It’s so elaborate and he leans back so much with it that it takes too long to then do something explosive off of it when he does get the defense to bite

  • I do like seeing him finish some of these shots at the rim through contact

  • He is getting to spots in the lane early in this one (I still don’t think this anywhere close to a top concern for me) but the shots just aren’t falling

  • Back to back BAD off ball awareness and engagement

    • Gets stuck on the baseline and gives up wide open C&S 3PM to Harris

    • Rotates out next possession where it was a quality rotation from the team overall and then relaxes and gives up cut and dunk to Suggs

    • Gives up another one to Fultz at the end of the 2nd quarter

  • Thought his passing looked really good during his second stretch in the 2nd quarter

  • Doesn’t recognize shot clock/game clock at the end of the 2nd quarter

    • Does not end up hurting them BUT this just doesn’t seem like something Cade would make a mistake on

• DUREN got some love for his hand activity in ball screens last game but still has a ways to go

  • Early in this one he is playing higher, WCJ is going to get below him and he at least has to take away the pocket pass but just isn’t active enough

    • WISEMAN is actually worse at this, he just puts his hands straight out to the side

  • His off the bounce stuff from the top of the key has some really cool flashes but there is A LOT of growth with it before it becomes a real viable option

• WISEMAN doing a nice job of running the floor and play finishing

• AUSAR floor spacing shows up in totality on one possession

  • PnR, Duren short roll catch and kicks to corner (correct decision), Ausar turns down wide open 3PA

  • One more pass to Cade, he attacks the closeout but Ausar’s man is helping WAY OFF strong side corner (usually a no-no) and Cade kicks to Ausar…..Ausar confidently and without hesitation knocks down the corner C&S 3PM

    • These corner 3s is ALL he has to get good at for now, make people respect you on these

    • 19% overall from 3, 23% from the corner (60% of his overall 3PAs)

    • He even gets a hard closeout from Franz later in the 1st quarter just as an overreaction to making the first one

  • Couple bad misses still

    • I think he is getting closeouts at times that he could attack

  • Timing up his cuts perfectly can also be effective because his man IS going to lose track of him playing him this way

  • As bad as the 3rd quarter was for the team as a whole, he was playing with a ton of energy and impact on the defensive end

• STEW first 2 offensive possessions as the “backup 5” (staggered) look pretty good

  • This is where he could be pretty effective as a PnP big

• IVEY…please, please, PLEASE stop settling for 3PAs

  • He is on the floor with a lineup that should has the floor spacing for his downhill, attacking ability to flourish and settles for a 1 v 3 transition pull 3PA

    • Patient, get into offense and have faith the ball will get back to you to attack

  • Has another transition attempt at the start of the 3rd where he is getting a closeout that he could have attacked

Magic

• Suggs, Harris, Wagner, Paolo, WCJ

• SUGGS might end up being an ELITE on ball guard defender in this league

  • He is a lot of fun to watch on that end

  • The transition off the ball block on Cade was big time

    • He challenged SO MANY attempts at the rim

    • Gets one on Ausar in transition late in the 4th

  • I like him offensively because he can play with the ball in his hand but he does nice stuff off the ball as well

    • Knock down shots, 86% of 3PMs are assisted, 39% overall on the year

    • Off ball cuts

• WAGNER always impresses me with the craft and skill he has with the ball in his hand

• FULTZ making a major impact off the bench

  • Mid range jumper, attack and finish, OREB putback

  • Carving up the Pistons defense

• PAOLO is just so difficult stop when he gets going downhill

  • When he is making jump shots, especially off the bounce, he is so tough to guard

  • Currently on pace to become the youngest player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists per game

    • AND it’s a team that looks like they are going to make the playoffs