Caldwell-Pope and Siva Impress in Summer League Opening with 95-89 win over Houston
By Joe Dexter
It was the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope show in Orlando Saturday afternoon, as the Detroit Pistons opened up Orlando Summer League play with a 95-89 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Anyone questioning whether KCP could start for Detroit next season was greeted with a fantastic display of offense, defensive play making and will to win.
After draining 26 points off of 6 steals and shooting 8/19 from the floor — any and all questions were answered.
On display was Caldwell-Pope’s impressive offensive repertoire. Taking a bulldog mentality to the game, Siva scored from outside, on drives to the basket, floaters outside the lane and at the charity stripe. Siva went 8-9 from the free throw line.
The Pistons jumped out to a 20-6 lead in the first quarter on the offense of Brian Cook and Peyton Siva. Cook scored 10 points in the first quarter, but then faded late.
Peyton Siva impressed throughout at point guard. He seemed very comfortable in his role as a facilitator and secondary scorer. Siva tallied six assists while shooting 4/8 from the floor and scoring 16 points.
Siva took over the fourth quarter, going on a 6-0 run with less than a minute to play to help secure a Pistons win.
He also helped set the tempo offensively by getting to the free throw line. Siva went 7/9 at the charity stripe.
2013 second round pick Tony Mitchell also flashed his athletic ability — combining it with solid consistency. He finished at the rim with authority at times and showed improvements on the defensive end of the floor. Mitchell was 4/5 from the floor and finished with 13 points.
Non-roster invitees DeAndre Liggins and Chris Watford also impressed with major minutes for Summer League head coach Bob Beyer.
Liggins shined in athletic situations and on the defensive end of the floor. Liggins finished with just 7 points, but was active on the floor. He had three steals — one of which turned into a coast to coast dunk. Liggins might not stick out stats wise, but he was a step ahead most everyone on the court and proved his is NBA ready when it comes to understanding screens, offensive play sets and where to be on the floor.
Watford also shined in those roles after being undrafted in 2013. The former Indiana Hoosier had a decent offensive game, but really showed his value on ball screens and defensively. His value as a stretch four shined as he showed his range with the basketball, while also garnering three trips to the free throw line.
The Pistons will take home four points automatically after getting a win in their first Summer League contest. Teams also get championship points for winning quarters. In total, the Pistons took home 6 1/2 points from today’s game.
Detroit will continue Orlando Summer League play with action against the Memphis Grizzlies at 3 PM ET. You can catch the game on NBA TV or the Summer League Live online package.
Keep it right here at Pistons Palace for our live thread and live tweets before, after and during the game.