Remedy for Pacers struggles? The Pistons

Detroit Pistons

Final

Greg Monroe, PF Shot Chart 31 MIN | 6-21 FG | 5-6 FT | 16 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 17 PTS | +6Tonight’s game featured a lot of Monroe’s signature move: the post-shot scream. Monroe was active on the glass and active offensively, but if you take away his 3-for-5 start, he shot just TWO FOR FIFTEEN the rest of the way. He could have taken 15 jumpers and been better. I agree Greg, arghaahhh.

Josh Smith, SF

37 MIN | 9-20 FG | 3-7 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 24 PTS | -11

So, remember how Monroe was great in the first quarter and horrible the rest of the way? Josh Smith joined the party, too! Smith made 6-for-11 shots in the first quarter, and fizzled the rest of the way. His poke-away steal and subsequent diving bounce pass to Drummond was actually really great, though.

Kyle Singler, SF

39 MIN | 3-11 FG | 3-3 FT | 5 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 10 PTS | +3

It’s tough to watch Singler on nights when his jumper isn’t falling, but those nights are exacerbated when he’s forced to guard a guy like Lance Stephenson. Say what you will about Stephenson’s playground style, but he had his way with Singler.

Andre Drummond, C

31 MIN | 5-9 FG | 3-6 FT | 14 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 13 PTS | -5

Drummond’s as automatic a double-double as you’ll find in the NBA today. He did a good job overcoming two fouls within the first eight minutes of the game, and his defense was solid around the rim. Fourteen rebounds is nice, but he was competing for boards with the league’s worst rebounding center in Roy Hibbert.

Brandon Jennings, PG

35 MIN | 4-11 FG | 2-3 FT | 2 REB | 9 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | +2

This really wasn’t a bad effort from Jennings. His hailmary shots went down for the most part, and he was a big reason the Pistons had 16 fastbreak points and 17 points off turnovers. But he dribbled right into George Hill’s hands with just under two minutes to go before committing a dumb off-the-ball foul to give Indy a free throw in the final minute. Maybe that deserves an A? I dunno anymore, this all blends together.

Jonas Jerebko, PF

9 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +6

He went through the motions, missed a three and his night was over by halftime.

Charlie Villanueva, PF

6 MIN | 0-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -6

Charlie was just so excited that his UCONN Huskies are playing in the Final Four that he tackled Hibbert — a former Big East great himself — while he was trying to tell him.

Will Bynum, PG

13 MIN | 1-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | -9

Bynum had a few good drives to the basket, but he wasn’t really on the same page as the rest of the Pistons tonight.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG

6 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -5

Nice alley-oop to Drummond in the second quarter. Other than that, nice job cheering from the bench.

Rodney Stuckey, SG

32 MIN | 6-12 FG | 3-3 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 16 PTS | -16

Stuckey was efficient offensively and passable defensively, so par for the course. However, I thought about this during the game, if you’ve got to sign either Stuckey (say, for 3-years, $20M) or Evan Turner (say, for 3-years $30M) who do you pick?

John Loyer

The Pacers have been engulfed in a horrible slump recently, and tonight was the first time they scored 100 points in a game since… wait for it … the last time they played the Pistons on March 15! Also, if you’re interested in seeing the Pistons season in a nutshell,

check out Loyer’s response to Paul George’s damn-near-half-court shot.

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