Stanley Johnson looks good in a Detroit Pistons uniform
By Duncan Smith
The Detroit Pistons preseason got under way Tuesday nights at the Palace of Auburn Hills against the Indiana Pacers. Fans have been waiting for the chance to see how the new-look Pistons would play, and they got to see a show on their home court in what ended up being a 115-112 loss to the Pacers.
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Rookie Stanley Johnson was the player who fans and observers alike most anticipated seeing on the floor, and he didn’t disappoint. Johnson led the Pistons in scoring with 26 points off the bench on 8 of 17 shooting, and he hit three of six three-point attempts, including his first attempt less than a minute after he checked into an NBA game for the first time. He also had a +8 in 34 minutes on the floor, and scored 10 points to lead a third quarter charge in which the Pistons outscored the Pacers 39-26.
The Pistons shot well, hitting 49% of their shots from the floor and 45% of their threes, but were plagued by 20 turnovers, including six from Johnson. It’s to be expected in a preseason debut, and they took reasonably good care of the ball last season, finishing eighth in the NBA with 13.4 turnovers per game, so it’s reasonable to think the high number was a result of opening-game rust.
Among the Pistons who shot the ball effectively, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot the lights out. He finished with 22 points on 7 of 9 shooting, and was 6 of 7 from three-point range. KCP was +15 in 26 minutes on the floor and backed up head coach Stan Van Gundy’s assertion that he had been one of the most impressive Pistons thus far in camp.
Another young Piston star who stood out was Andre Drummond. He led both teams with nine rebounds and scored 16 points, shooting 7 of 10 from the floor, and he hit two of his three free throw attempts.
Less impressive, guard Spencer Dinwiddie had a tough night. He was expected to play heavy minutes at point guard due to the absence of Reggie Jackson and Steve Blake, but he fouled out in 25 minutes on the floor. He scored four points on 1 of 6 shooting, and had a -18 net rating.
Not that anybody should get too excited by a preseason game (mind you, I’m excited), but thus far it looks like the young Pistons have some offensive punch, and might just be one of the more enjoyable Pistons team to watch in years.