The Best of Andre Drummond with the Detroit Pistons
By Ryan Love
Andre Drummond’s best games with the Pistons
The job left to centers in the NBA isn’t what it used to be.
Most traditional centers don’t put up the scoring numbers like those of guys in the backcourt and on the wings shooting threes and getting to the free-throw line.
However, Drummond’s athleticism and evolving skill with the basketball has allowed him to dominate games like the centers of old occasionally.
December 1, 2013
The Pistons were hosting the Philadelphia 76ers led at the time by the early “Process” crew of Michael Carter-Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Evan Turner.
In his second year, Drummond had what was the most impressive game of his career to that point.
He dropped 31 points on 15 shots — making 7 free throws along the way.
He added 19 rebounds, and six steals to his stat line by the end of the night — setting new career highs in points, rebounds, and steals in the 115-100 win.
Drummond was beginning to set himself apart from then-frontcourt partner Greg Monroe as the team’s go-to big man.
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November 8, 2015
By Drummond’s fourth year, the team around him had changed dramatically.
Josh Smith and Greg Monroe were gone, and Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were the primary scorers for the Pistons.
They took on the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 1 that season — and despite Jackson’s 40 points that night — Drummond stole the show.
He scored 29 points, grabbed 27 rebounds, and showed his improving defense by adding three blocks and two steals in the 120-103 blowout in Portland.
January 30, 2017
By 2017, Drummond was a veteran.
He had an All-NBA selection and an All-Star selection at the ripe old age of 23.
He was on his way to his second All-Star selection when the Pistons hit the road to take on the Boston Celtics.
Drummond scored 26 points and 22 rebounds — dominating a relatively small Celtics team led by Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford.
He again showed his skill with the basketball and improved defense by adding 6 assists and 4 steals.
However, it wouldn’t be enough as Thomas dropped 41 points in the 113-109 victory for the Celtics.
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January 24, 2018
After a hot start to begin the 2017-18 season, the Pistons were reeling.
Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley were soon to be traded for Blake Griffin as the team searched for its identity.
However, those struggles that led to the blockbuster swap were not Drummond-related.
An example came in Detroit against the Utah Jazz that saw Drummond score 30 points and grab 24 rebounds.
He filled the stat sheet despite 98-95 loss — a theme he carried throughout his time in Detroit.
October 23, 2019
Before being traded, Drummond was on his way to what could have been another All-Star game and potential All-NBA selection representing the Pistons.
He never looked better than he did on opening night of the 2019-20 season on the road against the Indiana Pacers.
Drummond scored 32 points while facing off against the Pacers frontcourt duo of Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis.
True-to-form, he’d add 23 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals.
To the displeasure of his haters, his pseudo-contract year was off to an incredible start.
Unfortunately, the team’s injuries would prove too much to risk losing Drummond for nothing in the offseason.