Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers (preseason)
Game Breakdown
I want to thank everyone that is subscribed to and has been reading the substack!! Just want to let you know how much I enjoy sharing my notes after each game with you. My plan is to post all 82 regular season games AND would love to see the substack keep growing. If you find the motivation to share with another Pistons fan I would greatly appreciate it.
*Not saying anyone is right or wrong but I do find it interesting how differently every team and head coach handles the preseason schedule in terms of minutes, rotations, etc.*
Pistons - 108 - 92 W
Cade, Ivey, THJ, Harris, Duren
Ivey gets the Mitchell matchup and THJ on Garland, very interested to see how both hold up
Both do a great job early in the game not fouling on quick pull up jumpers coming off ball screens
The overall hand activity in passing lanes and rotations is just at a level we have not seen from a Pistons team for a bit
Fouls are an issue in this one
Ivey-Cade PnR in secondary transition, sign me up!
5 for 5 subs in this game but exactly the 5 you would think
Sasser, Beasley, Holland, Fontecchio and Stew
This group doesn’t start off with much flow on the offensive end but gets it going eventually
Moore, Stevens and Reed getting 1st half minutes as well as Jenkins (with Holland)
They are getting absolutely DESTROYED on the offensive boards right now in the 1st quarter
Some pretty rough turnovers as well….man, this continues the entire 1st quarter with just awful decisions
DUREN with a BEAUTIFUL short roll pass at 11:10 1st quarter and Harris rewards him with a corner C&S 3PM
9:55 1st makes another one of those rotation block that we have been talking about on The Pistons Pulse (take a listen if you haven’t!)
This would be such a HUGE addition to his defensive game
Add a couple lob finishes to his game in the first 4 minutes, has been a great start
See a great example of communication from him coming out of the 1st timeout of the game
Talking to Ivey who was picking up full court
HARRIS C&S 3PM x2 to start the game
Seems simple but so nice having someone you trust to know down these attempts
Has done an AMAZING job on a couple rotations to tag the rolling Allen
CADE in a really good flow early as he knocks down two tough mid range jumpers
And a couple really nice assists to that as well
I always appreciate his engagement on the bench
THJ finally gets one to go!! Off a designed action that go him running off multiple baseline screens
His defense has been better than I thought it might be considering the matchup he had to take
IVEY with some really bad decision making in the 1st quarter
TO early in transition and then bad read later in the quarter after attacking the paint
HOLLAND has another “advantage exploiter” example of growth late in the 1st quarter
Drive and kick to him, he gets a high closeout that takes away the “one more” pass, he’s slow to attack the closeout and then when he does he throws a fairly off target pass to the weakside
Smooth looking 3PM off a DHO with Stew and follows with a nice finish in transition
Has another one a couple possessions later (you can tell he loves going to the euro step in these situations)
I do like that he stayed aggressive even after getting blocked by Mobley sandwiched in between these possessions
The handle is just far too loose right now
BEASLEY floor spacing is awesome BUT you can’t have these passing turnovers from a player in his role
FONTECCHIO with the VERY rare 7-point possession
Both 3PM off drives from Sasser
Jumper looks confident and pure tonight, even knocks one down off the bounce
QUICK trigger 3PM to start the 2nd half
SASSER gets subbed out for Jenkins here in the 2nd quarter and looks like it was so JB could get some coaching across
Pulls him aside as he subs out, puts his arm around him and is pointing things out
Immediately turns it over upon re entering the game
Did have a couple nice defensive possessions holding up against bigger players
Really liked the one on a Mitchell drive
JENKINS unable to find the shooting touch so far tonight
Perfect relocation off a teammate drive to knock down a C&S 3PM AND knocks down his next attempt as well as he starts to find that shooting touch
I think he is a quality 4th PG that can do a great job for your G League affiliate
REED with an awesome ball screen drop coverage steal at 5:00 2nd quarter
Just gets that hand out in the pocket passing window and is able to come up with the steal
Ends up turning it over in transition, though
Multiple defensive disruptions here at the end of the 1st half from him
Feel like he has made some nice passes, not necessarily high level reads but good plays
Knocks down a couple mid range jumpers
STEVENS with back to back defensive plays
Iso possession vs Mobley and then recovery block on Okoro
Makes another hustle play in transition and then rim contest in transition
Aggressive and physical to the rim including an emphatic poster finish2
Cavs
Garland, Mitchell, LeVert, Mobley, Allen
You are seeing the staggering of the backcourt and frontcourt even here in the 1st quarter of a preseason game
LEVERT draws the Cade matchup for them
MOBLEY has been pretty aggressive on the offensive end
I like seeing this from him, has to be the key to completely unlock their ceiling and potential to be a real title factor in the East
Play finishing out of ball screens, dunker spot, some drives, hit a 3P, multiple trips to the FT line
So good as an off the ball defender
MITCHELL so good playing with pace and using his strength to keep defenders at disadvantage off a ball screen
Has taken over offensively here later in the 1st quarter
A couple REALLY nice spin moves
Has two assists off this move as well
He’s just so nice with the jumper off the bounce, always in a phone booth
So creative with his handle and passing
JEROME one of the first subs in the game
Sounds like he might have the lead for their backup PG spot
ALLEN just a monster on the OREBs
Has a sick catch and euro step floater in the lane….he is way more skilled than he gets credit for (solid passer too)
PORTER JR. not looking as good as I thought he looked playing in the regular season last year
TRAVERS has caused some disruption defensively but has not looked good offensively
TYSON showing the ability he has as a passer