The Pistons barely escaped the Heat with a 138-135 win after nearly losing their entire 22 point lead in the fourth quarter. Their disastrous near-collapse in the final frame raised a lot of questions about the team. While the Pistons were lucky enough to hang on this time, they must eliminate the bad habits that put them in that position.
Cade Cunningham needs to fix his turnover problems
Once again, Cade Cunningham had an unacceptable number of turnovers. He finished with 8 total in this game, including 3 in just the fourth quarter alone. These came in the middle of a 27-8 Heat run that brought them within 2 in the last minute of the game. Although Cade has been overtaxed in recent games, he got plenty of support from his teammates in this one but still struggled with his usual weakness.
Giving Daniss Jenkins more opportunities was a good choice
Caris LeVert was out with injury, which led to Daniss Jenkins usurping the backup point guard role. He played the role well and helped distribute the ball to his teammates as a lead facilitator. Jenkins is a very natural playmaker and great at setting up his teammates for openings.
At the same time, he's also capable of creating his own shot in a pinch or even playing off-ball next to Cade. He scored the dagger layup in the final minute of the game after setting a hard screen for Cade and operating as a roll man.
Tobias Harris is still Ole Reliable
Tobias Harris had a tremendous scoring performance to push the Pistons to a big lead. He finished with 26 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Tobias' maturity shines through in his quick decision-making, whether it's immediately shooting when he has an open look or patiently getting to his spots. His scoring versatility made him a great complement to the Pistons' guards and a failsafe when the offense stalled.
Duncan Robinson is thriving without Heat Culture
Duncan Robinson spent many seasons on the Heat before joining the Pistons this offseason. He has been an excellent addition so far as the team's only reliable shooting threat. He finished this game with 18 points, including 3 threes made and multiple finishes at the rim too.
He seemed extra motivated playing his old team and had one of his best games of the season. Robinson showed his toughness by competing on defense consistently, including a steal and a block in crucial moments. It was exactly the type of performance that the Heat pride themselves on getting out of overlooked players.
Although the Pistons' near-collapse at the end of the game was the most notable aspect of the game, there were also plenty of positives to take away from the earlier minutes. The team was rolling until they hit a wall and nearly choked away the contest.