Detroit Pistons look to get back on track in 2018 summer league
By Travis Gibbs
The Detroit Pistons are coming into this afternoon’s game winless against the New Orleans Pelicans. Can they gain some momentum today?
It was a rough weekend in Las Vegas for the Detroit Pistons. They are win-less going into their third game of the summer league.
They will be taking on the New Orleans Pelicans this afternoon. Let’s take a look at what went wrong over the weekend.
Detroit Pistons vs. Milwaukee Bucks
This one was really hard to watch. Shots just weren’t falling all the way around for the Pistons. Turnovers were also a really big problem.
All of this came together in a 90-63 pummeling from the Bucks. Talk about a wake-up call for the young guys trying to make a name for themselves.
Related Story: Detroit Pistons get blown out by Milwaukee Bucks 90-63 in opener
There were a few names that many were keeping an eye on. Henry Ellenson was one of them. To put it lightly, he struggled on Friday night.
He ended the game with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The stats are a bit misleading, however. He couldn’t hit a shot in the first half. Defensively, he kept switching onto smaller guards and was burned for it.
Detroit Pistons vs. Memphis Grizzlies
This game was much better than the first. Guys were hitting shots, getting to the basket, and competing. It came down to the wire but Memphis edged the Pistons 73-70 in the end.
Related Story: Detroit Pistons fall short to Memphis Grizzlies 73-70
Ellenson again led the Pistons with 15 points in the game. It’s another misleading statistic. He shot less than 25 percent from the field and was just 10 percent from beyond the arc.
Khyri Thomas added 13 points, shooting 60 percent from three-point range.
As a team, it wasn’t pretty on the offensive end for the Detroit Pistons. They shot under 40 percent from the field and just 57 percent from the line.
What to watch for in today’s game
The Pistons showed more fight in the second game and are ultimately looking to leave Vegas with something to hang their hat on. Today is a good opportunity to do that.
Ellenson’s game will be something to watch today. He struggled over the weekend and will need a big game to catch the attention of the new front office and coaching staff.
Khryi Thomas is another player that will be worth keeping an eye on today. He’s been impressive on the defensive end of the floor, specifically on the perimeter. What to watch will be his offensive game.
Khyri Thomas sets it up. Nnanna Egwu throws it down. #PistonsNow pic.twitter.com/rneW35DOZn
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) July 8, 2018
He has displayed his ability to facilitate and shoot the ball. What will he do in his next summer league game in Vegas?
Bruce Brown has had a roller coaster weekend. He’s been able to penetrate and get to the rim but not finish at times. There’s been times where he’s led the fast break and opened up opportunities for teammates.
It would be nice to see him put together a full performance this afternoon. How will the Detroit Pistons get back on track in the 2018 summer league?