Pistons vs Los Angeles Lakers
Game Breakdown
*SPECIAL SITUATIONS*
Great start to the game BUT Lakers cut it to 2 and force a timeout…..
Harris bail out mid post fadeaway make, DLo layup off AD double, Beasley mid range pull up off Cade double and swing swing, Rui 3PM off AD OREB, Harris mid range off Cade double
They aren’t getting stops but they are getting buckets to keep the lead
Finally able to get some stops and EXTEND the lead back out
NO IVEY OR CADE MINUTES TO END THE 1ST QUARTER
Force a TO, a miss and get a THJ pull up 3PM
LAKERS go to their 3-2 Zone with AD in the middle
First possession = Cade TO
Second possession = Cade breaks down defense in the middle and Beasley corner 3PM
Third possession = THJ missed 3PA
LBJ hits a 3P right before half, can Detroit immediately grab the momentum to start the 2nd half
Lakers TO, Duren OREB into Cade lob to Duren (chemistry is real), Reaves miss, Duren OREB into Harris missed 3PA, AD miss, Cade OREB (own miss) into THJ 3PM
3 possessions and 3 OREBs for the Pistons and I would say they have started the half the right way
Lakers cut into 20 point lead down to 11 late in the 3rd quarter
Ivey 2 FTM off backdoor cut off Stew, Reaves 3PM (this was a nice little action), Beasley missed mid range pull up, Stew big time block on LBJ, Beasley missed mid range pull up, LBJ mid post make, Ivey miss but THJ OREB but Ivey TO, AD bucket and it’s within 6 going to the 4th
NOT a great way to respond to the Lakers run and to go into the 4th quarter where the Pistons have not been good this year
NICE ACTION TO START THE 4TH
Stew short roll read and Ivey baseline cut
Really good response to start the quarter
4:00 4th 103 - 98
Cade TOUGH mid post fadeaway (THESE are the shots you want to see from the franchise player) 105 - 98
LBJ missed 3PA 105 - 98
Cade fouled and 1 FTM 106 - 98
Reaves missed 3PA 106 - 98
Cade missed 3PA 106 - 98
LBJ fouled 2 FTM 106 - 100
Harris missed 3PA 106 - 100
TREMENDOUS defensive possession, Reaves missed 3PA 106 - 100
IVEY!!! With perhaps the dagger 3PM off Cade gravity 109 - 100
DLo missed 3PA 109 - 100
IVEY!!! With yet another assist from Cade on a little floater 111 - 100
WHAT A WIN FOR THIS TEAM COMING OFF THE SUNDAY WIN
Pistons - 115 - 103 W
Cade, Ivey, THJ, Harris, Duren
Back to back TOs to start the game, not ideal
Next TO wasn’t until 7:30 2nd quarter
Seems like there is a real effort to play a little bit fast to start this game
Rim protection and blocked shots continue to show up early on
Energy level is REALLY good to start this game considering the 2nd night of a back to back
Biggest issue so far defensively has been transition
CADE draws the assignment from Rui, will be interesting how he fares against someone with this size
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the 3PA (and make) at 7:40 1st quarter off the dribble…he has to show he is willing to take these and then of course, knock them down
I don’t even mind the 3P miss at 6:20 1st quarter in transition
His off ball defensive rotations have been so much improved this year
Continues to round out his mid post game
His ability to play through contact this season (ON BOTH ENDS) is perhaps his biggest growth
Defending LBJ in the mid post, taking contact in the second phase on drives
Triple Double WITH the DEFENSE AND the 4th quarter plays
DUREN with a rough start
Turns it over immediately and then gets lost on defense that results in AD catch and at the rim and Duren foul
LBJ outruns him in transition BUT Duren does stay close enough for the recovery block, defensive playmaking flashes continue
5:00 3rd quarter has a PERFECT verticality contest on Rui drive
He has been very good keeping AD off the boards so far
Recorded with Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation and he mentioned the Lakers emphasis on the OREB this season
HE IS DESTROYING THE LAKERS ON THE BOARDS
HARRIS post ups are continuing to draw double teams
Nice start to the game going 2 for 2 with a corner C&S 3PM and a little floater off an attack of a closeout
Another make!! This one BLOB corner 2P running off a couple screens
Corner 3P touch goes away in the 2nd half
Definitely has his mid range touch in the 1st half
THJ has such a quick release and no hesitation
Goodness gracious, some of these makes are TOUGH
BEASLEY continue to attack closeouts and continues to struggle to make shots inside the 3P line
33% from 3P coming into the game
TOO MANY shots coming off the bounce for him
STEW off the ball defense vs AD has been awesome
Anticipating the cuts and being VERY physical to keep him off his spots
Take advantage of switch mismatch again with a quick post catch and finish
Feel like he plays both in drop coverage about as good as he possibly can for some of the size and vertical limitations
His recovery ability to the roll man and ability to contest is very impressive
IVEY first drive is AWESOME!
Action happening on the weakside but he notices his man isn’t locked in so he just attacks him away from it
AND no help comes because Beasley is standing in the strong side corner (spacing and gravity)
11:30 2nd quarter he almost drops Reaves with the quick dribble move, if he starts playing with start/stop and pace….forget about it
He has been absolutely awesome in this stretch
Playing with perfect combination of pace, nuance, finesse and explosion
His process has been so good tonight
Turns down mid range jumper (in mid air but still haha) that eventually turns into a drive and fouled getting to the FT line
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME GAME FROM HIM!!!
MINUS a few bad passing decisions that resulted in TOs
HOLLAND energy is IMMEDIATELY felt and….
Until people scout it, that transition right to left euro step is going to be buckets
Nice little touch on the floater
And then the scoop over AD in the 4th, okay, this is the skill level we wanted to see from him as a rookie
This kid is not short on confidence or aggressiveness (and that’s a compliment)
Some of these corner 3PAs are going to fall eventually
DOES get 4th quarter minutes tonight
I LOVE the way JB has handled this so far this season
Games he plays well he gets them and games he doesn’t play well, he doesn’t
FONTECCHIO is simply lost in this offense right now
Lakers
Reaves, DLo, Rui, LBJ, AD
Reaves on Ivey and Rui on Cade
Have gotten to the rim multiple times but just haven’t been able to convert OR gotten the shot blocked
They are so good getting the ball up the floor in transition
Long outlet/kick ahead passes AND AD/LBJ are good about getting position for the pass over the top
The bench has to be a REAL concern for this team
Haven’t seen the creative offensive actions that JJ has gotten so much credit for early in the season
DLo has actually done a really nice job pressuring the paint and thrown a couple beautiful passes
LBJ T-3rd in the NBA in individual fast break points on the season
Pretty impressive stat for his age
Going to a lot of mid post isolations that just haven’t been fruitful
AND aren’t drawing double teams, Pistons are fine defending it 1 on 1
RUI seems to be playing with so much confidence on the offensive end
At least with his 3P shot
Hasn’t been involved in the offense much since very early in the game
AD has been awesome this season and continues in this game
Getting to the FT line at an insane rate
He’s so tough to defend when he’s even just making the mid range jumper
23.5% 3P, dudes in foul trouble=convincing win? All but THJ and Beez with good =/-. Is there a better feeling than a dagger three in a tense game? Goodness gracious!