Quick Reactions from the Detroit Pistons first Summer League Game

Led by second year players Bruce Brown Jr., Khyri Thomas, and Svi Mykhailiuk, the Detroit Pistons summer league team took on the Croatia national team in their first matchup of the summer.

The Detroit Pistons won their first summer league game against the Croatian national team, with a final score of 96 to 80.

There was reason for optimism this week as the Pistons practiced for their first summer league game. In addition to their trio of second year players, the Pistons were excited to see their first round pick, Sekou Doumbouya, play in his first game in a Detroit uniform.

Unfortunately, fans wouldn’t get the pleasure of witnessing it.

Due to a right hamstring strain, first round pick Doumbouya did not play in the game. He is listed as day-to-day, so there is hope that he can play in the Pistons next game.

But despite not having their prized first round pick play, the Pistons had no problem finishing off the solid Croatia national team. Several things stuck out as the game played out.

1. The second year players look good

The biggest takeaway from this game is that Brown, Thomas, and Mykhailiuk played great.

Bruce Brown Jr. started 56 games for the Pistons last year, primarily at shooting guard and small forward. But today he started at point guard, and he looked every bit the part.

As the “veteran” guy on the summer league roster, he did a great job staying poised and leading the team. He was aggressive in his drives and did a good job of finding his guys for open shots.

In the first half, he would record three assists, but he would have had more if his teammates had made the open looks that Brown gave them.

He continued to struggle at scoring the ball, but he was clearly looking for others more than his own shot. He ended the game with 12 points on 40% shooting and hit one three pointer.

Khryi Thomas had a phenomenal all around game. He played great defense, recording a steal and knocked away several passes in the first half.

Offensively, he struggled mightily handling the ball. He had four turnovers in the first half, but cleaned it up and had none in the second. But he led the Pistons in scoring with 26 points, shooting 45% overall and 50% from three (7-14).

Svi Mykhailiuk seemed almost unguardable in the game. He was the Pistons second highest scorer of the game, recording 17 points, one rebound, and five assists. He started at small forward, but played quasi-point guard when Brown sat, showcasing his playmaking abilities. He had several great drives and had a beautiful step back three pointer that made Pistons twitter go wild:

But perhaps the best thing about Svi was his handles. He looked extremely comfortable driving and getting his own shot or setting up his teammates.

It wasn’t all positive, as Svi did have four turnovers off several bad passes. But overall, he showed a very diverse skill set that could benefit the Pistons this year.

Overall, it was a great showing for Brown, Thomas, and Mykhailiuk. Each brought good defense, shooting, and playmaking that helped them win the game. Best of all, all three-second year players showed (at least for one game) that their development is on track, which is all the Pistons can ask for at this point.

2. Several players disappointed in their debuts

The Pistons had several good college players on their summer league roster.

In addition to Brown, Thomas, and Mykhailiuk, the Pistons started Michigan State alum Matt Costello and University of Iowa forward Jarrod Uthoff in the front court. Both were fairly unspectacular but played solid minutes. Costello scored 11 points and had eight rebounds, while Uthoff had five points, three rebounds, and three assists.

Undrafted two-way player and former Oregon Duck Louis King appeared very nervous in his first action as a pro. He looked lost on defense, and he recorded only two rebound and one block with no points or assists. There’s a lot to like about King with his 6’8 frame and two-way potential, but he will have to play much better during the summer league to show the Pistons that he belongs.

The Pistons second round pick Deividas Sirvydis didn’t play much, but when he did, it wasn’t pretty. In his first minute, he drove to the basket to draw contact, but ended up bouncing off his defender and flew out-of-bounds; turning the ball over.

The Pistons drafted him in the second round due to his shooting potential and size, but at 6’8 and only 190 pounds, he needs to bulk up his frame before he can play in an NBA game. He is barely 19 years old, so there’s no need to rush at this stage.

3. This team has a real chance to win the summer league

There’s no reason to overreact to one win in the summer league, but there should be room for optimism, as this roster has all the pieces to take the crown.

As mentioned before, Thomas and Mykhailiuk played incredible offense for the Pistons, their outside shooting being the primary factor. Combine that with the solid play of Costello and Uthoff and the hard-nosed defense of Brown and Doumbouya (when he returns), this squad has all its bases covered.

The Pistons play their second summer league game Saturday at 3:30 vs the Portland Trailblazers. Hopefully, we can see the continued stellar play of the second year players, plus the debut of prized rookie Sekou Doumbouya. There’s a lot to look forward to with this group.