After a few inconsistent outings, the Detroit Pistons finished the preseason with a 19-point beat-down of the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Breslin Center.
If you didn’t know before, you do now. Dwane Casey likes 3-pointers.
The Detroit Pistons went 21-for-45 (46.7 percent) from beyond the arc on Friday night, as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-110 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
For reference, last season, the Pistons set a franchise record averaging 28.9 three-point attempts per game at a 37.3% clip.
While some old-school fans (my father included) bemoan Casey’s insistence on shooting threes, I believe this is the correct decision, especially for this team. The Pistons’ roster is stocked with competent shooters, and when you have two of the better rebounders in the league (Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin) it makes sense to fire away.
Speaking of Griffin, he was unbelievable tonight. The power forward ended the game with 29 points, five assists, and three rebounds. His 3-point shot looks much improved so far, and he shot 3-for-4 from long distance tonight.
It’s possible that with a full off-season of training, we might see the resurgence of Griffin this season. Aside from his shot, his bounce was reminiscent of vintage Blake. If the Detroit Pistons get even 90 percent of the player he was a few years ago, this team could surprise people.
Drummond also continues to impress thus far. He ended the game with 21 points and 15 rebounds, and he’s been playing extremely efficient basketball. The Cavaliers don’t exactly have the league’s top frontcourt, but he and Griffin were absolutely bullying them.
On another bright note, Reggie Jackson has been having a solid preseason. He ended the game with 14 points and five assists. While not astounding, he does look healthy, and his shot is much better right now than I was expecting after he took the summer off from playing basketball.
Other Notes:
- It was the night of the guards. Ish Smith, Langston Galloway, and Luke Kennard all ended in double digits. Perhaps more noteworthy; all three shared the court at a few points and I expect to see that a lot this season if Galloway can keep playing this well.
- The chatter heading into the game was that Stanley Johnson might not play due to an ongoing toe injury. Instead, he was tied with Smith for second in minutes played with 27.
- Bruce Brown came in at the end of the game and added a few buckets, a block, and a steal. He keeps looking like a steal from this year’s draft. With Kennard, Galloway, and Brown all able to play some point, I’m starting to wonder if Ish might be available in the trade market.