Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bey enters the history books at the right time

In the Detroit Pistons’ 97-89 win over the Indiana Pacers, Saddiq Bey found himself as the topic of discussion on a night where he inserted his name into the record books once again. Early in the second quarter, Saddiq found himself wide open beyond the arc at the top of the key, and didn’t hesitate.

Marking his 200th career 3-pointer, Saddiq Bey has now tied Donavan Mitchell and Luka Doncic for reaching this mark faster than all but two players in NBA history, behind former Michigan sharpshooter Duncan Robinson (69 games) and fellow 2020 draft class member Anthony Edwards (82 games). It took the trio of Bey, Mitchell, and Doncic 84 games to hit this mark.

How Did it Happen?

The fated 3-point shot from Saddiq was a direct result of ball movement and unselfishness. Cory Joseph began the possession with the ball in his hands. A ghost screen from Saddiq caused a defensive miscommunication, allowing CoJo an easy drive and kick out to Frank Jackson, who swung the ball over to Saddiq for the open 3-pointer.

Possessions like these are incredibly encouraging, especially on a night where the Detroit Pistons mustered fewer than 20 total assists as a team (16, compared to Indiana’s 14). The Pistons are 26th in the league in assists per game as a team, dishing out 21.4 of them a contest. Clearly, we would like to see this number rise, but that certainly won’t happen if the Pistons continue to have abysmal shooting nights.

Now, that’s not to say that there isn’t hope. If you’ve tuned in this season, it’s clear that these assist numbers should be higher. Time and again, we see Killian Hayes or Cade Cunningham with a slick dishout to a spot-up jump shot, only for it to clang off the rim. As the team builds chemistry and gains more meaningful experience, we will hopefully see more shots find the bottom of the net, thus resulting in more assists.

Detroit Pistons: Why It’s Important for Saddiq Bey

Saddiq Bey looked like a whole new basketball player to start the season. He spent much more time putting the ball on the floor, and much less time in the catch and shoot opportunities he was so good at taking advantage of last year.

Unfortunately, his offensive production started to fall across the board. His playmaking skills were not quite up to par for someone with the ball that much, and his 3-pointers were uncharacteristically shaky. Many fans were concerned that he may have a more limited ceiling than we initially believed.

Luckily for us, he seems to be finding his rhythm again. His performance against Indiana was an indication, but even before Wednesday night, he has seemed much more comfortable over the last handful of games. If he can find his stride, along with Cade Cunningham becoming more comfortable in the NBA, the Pistons’ season outlook could be much brighter than it was to start.

Hopefully Saddiq can catch fire, and inspire other shooters to perform up to their billing. Saddiq is the Pistons most lethal 3-point shooter when he is on, and the success of the team’s shooting starts with him. With a tough upcoming schedule, the Pistons outside scoring development will be key in determining their success.