Detroit Pistons midseason player grades: Point guards edition

Beno Udrih

Stat line: 6.3 points, 3.3 assists, shooting splits of .459/.357/.923, true shooting 53.3 percent.

Grade: B-

Beno Udrih benefits in these grades to have largely avoided the debacle that the last 20-something games have been. Since Jackson returned, Udrih has been resigned to the third point guard role he was signed at the end of the preseason to fill.

In fact, Udrih has played in just seven of the past 22 games, averaging 9 minutes per appearance. He’s played well when called upon with a shooting percentage of 57.1, but he’s played mostly in garbage time. His rating was earned when he was backing up Ish Smith, and doing so admirably.

Udrih earns this B- grade thanks to a 21-game stretch to start the season in which he averaged 7 points and 3.4 assists in just 17 minutes per game. He played well enough that in stretches there were calls from fans for Udrih to replace Ish Smith in the starting lineup.

Jackson returned before those voices grew loud and Stan Van Gundy really had reason to consider it, but it’s very possible that Udrih might be the most capable backup on the team.

Barring disaster, it’s unlikely that Udrih will see much action in minutes that matter as the season goes forward, but he deserves recognition for the way he held the fort for the Detroit Pistons in an unforgiving role during a difficult time.