Detroit Pistons stock exchange: Who moved up or down in Pistons 116-110 win over Charlotte Hornets
The Detroit Pistons wrapped up their preseason schedule with a 116-110 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Here’s who helped, or hurt, their stock.
The Detroit Pistons featured a depleted lineup in their final preseason tune-up against the Charlotte Hornets. Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard all sat out the final preseason game with various soreness, tightness or just to be sure they were fresh for the beginning of the regular season.
Just as with Philadelphia, Detroit used a starting lineup that is unlikely to get much run together, but it was a chance to feature bench players and get another look at how they might fit before the Pistons have to make their final roster decisions. Charlotte was also resting several regulars and ran out a lineup that isn’t going to beat anyone, including Detroit, who took care of business with a 116-110 win on the second night of a back-to-back.
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Though it was a preseason game against one of the worst teams in the NBA, it was nice for Detroit to get a win heading into the regular season. There were many positives to the game, but it was also disappointing to see Detroit give up two, 30-point quarters to the hapless Hornets, who were missing four of their top scorers.
Malik Monk came off the bench for 18 points, highlighting one of Detroit’s weaknesses, which is guard defense. They were missing both Jackson and Rose, but neither of them are good defenders anyway. Detroit must be somewhat concerned about how they match up against teams with guards who can score.
The Pistons are counting on Bruce Brown to make a leap defensively into a stopper who can shut down the other team’s top perimeter threat, but he is not there yet, even though Pistons Twitter has him slotted in as the next great defender. Brown did have two steals in the game but ended with a minus-7 plus/minus. Brown needs to emerge as an elite defender to make up for the fact that Jackson is a sieve, so this will be something to watch as the season progresses.
With one final chance to make an impression, stocks rose and fell yet again. Let’s look at who is trending up and who is not.