Wow. There are no words to truly describe what I am feeling after the Detroit Pistons won that one. The only thing I can think to say is wow.
The Detroit Pistons have beaten the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors, on the second game of a back to back, and it was AMAZING. The game was close throughout, with both Detroit and Golden State taking the lead before the fourth. Thankfully, due to a Anthony Tolliver buzzer beater, the Pistons were able to head into the fourth with a one point lead. While relishing the win, let’s grade each Detroit player’s performance.
Stanley Johnson
Let’s start with up and down Stanley Johnson. Despite his rough start to the season, he played terrifically. Johnson had 15 points on 46.2 percent from the field and 60 percent from deep. Add on 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. While the stats aren’t spectacular, his three pointers were big shots, and his defense was stellar.
Grade: B+
Tobias Harris
Moving on to the streaky stud, Tobias Harris really struggled to start, but gassed up in the second half. Harris got 16 points on 33 percent from the field and deep. He also grabbed 4 rebounds, 2 of those on the offensive end, and 2 assists. He hit some important shots, one to stop a 6-0 Golden State run late in the game, and it was in Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson’s face.
Grade: B
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Andre Drummond
Andre had a very rough night on the offensive end, shooting 4-17 (23.5 percent), and scoring eight points. However, he still had upside, grabbing 18 rebounds, with eight of those coming underneath Golden State’s basket. He also had five assists and five steals. On the downside, he had five of the Detroit Pistons’ 13 turnovers. He also had some moments where he looked lost, but so did the rest of the team, and that’s all but a given when facing the best offensive team in league history.
Grade: B+
Avery Bradley
Without a doubt, this was Bradley’s best game in a Detroit uniform. He led the team in scoring with 23 points, shooting above 60 percent from the field and over 70 percent from the arc. He had the hot hand, hitting some shots that looked impossible after watching his first six games with the team. His defensive presence was not lost on Golden State, however, and he recorded three steals throughout his 35 minutes. His final steal was with the clock winding down and the Warriors down six. He picked Curry’s pocket and turned it into a lay-up on the other end to seal the game.
Grade: A
Reggie Jackson
It’s been said before, but I’ll say it again. Reggie Jackson is BACK. He’s finishing at the rack again, his shot was falling tonight, and he looks so damn confident. He took 22 points straight out of Golden State’s hands, most in the first half. Jackson shot 66.7 percent both from the field and from deep. He drained all four of his free throws, as did every other Piston who attempted one, and had five assists, three rebounds, and only one turnover.
Grade: A
Ish Smith
Smith took a page out of Reggie Jackson’s book tonight and he got his. Smith ended the night with 16 points and only two assists. He went 6-7 from the field (85.7 percent). His speed helped him run circles around the defense and his veteran savvy got him some beautiful mid range J’s in front of bigger defenders. While he didn’t record any steals or blocks, his defensive pressure was duly noted. Tightly contesting jumpers and sticking to the ball handler like glue.
Grade: B
Reggie Bullock
I was skeptical of putting Bullock in during a game against the Golden State Warriors after only one game back from his suspension, and it seemed like they my worries were going to be founded at the start of his minutes. But, gratefully, Bullock proved me wrong. He scored four points on 50 percent shooting, and he also had two assists. But the thing that stood out with Bullock was his defense. Bullock was able to grab three steals out of the Pistons’ 16. These steals led to nice transition buckets, so he’s responsible for more points than the box score shows.
Grade: B
Anthony Tolliver
Mr. Saturday Night Special proved he had game on days that don’t just start with Sat. While he only shot 33 percent from the field, he hit all five of his free throws and was able to grab five rebounds. Three of those coming on the offensive end. He only recorded one steal on the defensive end, but as he’s proven before, he has a lot of grit there, and it helped Detroit get the win.
Grade: B
Jon Leuer
Leuer wasn’t on the court enough to give a sizable sample for the grade. He played all of seven minutes, and they were all in the first half.
Grade: N/A
Langston Galloway
The free agent pickup, who has made some noise for Detroit, was quiet tonight, playing only four minutes. And missing both of his shots while on the floor.
Grade: N/A
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Conclusion
This game was an incredibly fun one to watch. Knowing the Warriors could drain four or five threes on your head in a row kept the game intense no matter how much Detroit looked in control. I’ve heard it a lot and said it a lot, but I’ve always told myself that it’s just optimism. But it’s not, and if you saw the game, it is clear as day that Detroit is different. Something may just be brewing in Stan Van Gundy’s pot, and hopefully we all come to love it.