Detroit Pistons: Strong performances give hope in tough loss

Isaiah Livers’ long-range shooting

Livers scored 12 points during the loss against the Hawks, all of those points coming from 3-point range. He saw the ball fall at a high volume compared to his other performances so far this season, which we hope to be a confidence driver for the second-year wing.

It’s clear that Livers saw a bit of an increased role due to others who were not playing, however a shooting performance like this could lead to a greater minutes share moving forward. Livers also played his way into the closing lineup, which he could continue to find himself in depending on the momentum he’s able to generate each game.

The floor spacing that Livers provides is continuing to be a positive whenever he’s on the floor, and if he continues to shoot at this high of a clip, it will be tough for Dwane Casey not to continue expanding his role.

Saddiq Bey making a splash

Bey seemed to have his best game of the season as well, finding ways to make things happen offensively just when the Detroit Pistons needed it. Early on, there have been questions on how Bogdanovic’s volume and performance would impact his development. But, on Wednesday night, Bey was able to find a way to contribute in new ways alongside Bojan.

Bey’s shooting volume has not been nearly as high as Cunningham or Bogdanovic’s this season, so Saddiq will need to convert on the opportunities that he does find himself in.

In Wednesday night’s loss against the Hawks, Bey was able to use his strength to get to the rim, gain opportunities at the foul line, and convert on the few clean 3-point looks that he saw.

How Bogdanovic’s volume impacts Bey’s development is certainly something to keep an eye on, however I think that this is a good challenge for Bey to figure out new ways to score and impact the game. One area I’m hoping to see more production in is within the post, to have Bey use his muscle to score or get to the line as opposed to sticking to the 3-point line on most possessions.