Ex-Detroit Pistons are proving valuable in the NBA Playoffs

Like a lot of teams, the Detroit Pistons are watching the NBA Playoffs from home.

There are just eight teams left in the hunt for the title, and while most of the attention has gone to the much-anticipated matchup between LeBron James and Stephen Curry, there are many compelling narratives in what has been a wide-open playoffs so far.

One of them is the Denver Nuggets, who have quietly coasted to a 6-1 record and are now up two games to none on the Phoenix Suns as they try to get to the Western Conference Finals.

Nikola Jokic has been brilliant as usual, but the Nuggets are also getting contributions from two former members of the Detroit Pistons in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown, who have been key to the Nuggets’ success.

Ex-Detroit Pistons are proving valuable in the NBA Playoffs

The Detroit Pistons have been looking for a wing player who can defend and make shots, and it turns out they gave two of them away in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown.

KCP has been playing big minutes as a starter for the Nuggets and averaging 10.9 points, three rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 44.1 percent from 3-point range on just under five attempts per game. He defends all over the floor and knocks down open shots, which is exactly what the Pistons are missing and hoping to remedy this offseason in the NBA Draft or with trades.

He has the chance to be a vital part of two title teams after already winning a ring with the Lakers.

Bruce Brown has also been great off the Nuggets’ bench, averaging 11.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists while also playing versatile defense around Denver’s stars. Both players are averaging over a steal per game and Brown is an incredible +71 in their seven games so far.

Both guys have been parts of the Nuggets’ best and most-used lineups and have allowed them to go small at times with Jeff Green at center.

KCP and Brown give the Nuggets a lot of lineup flexibility because of their ability to defend down or up, which will be important if and when they meet either the Lakers or Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

Versatile defense has been one of the big themes of the NBA Playoffs, and I hope the Detroit Pistons are taking notes.