Pistons injuries may force JB Bickerstaff to do the right thing

Marcus Sasser was forced into the starting lineup again last night and delivered for the Pistons, scoring 14 points in their blowout win over the Nets. Sasser is getting his chance with Ausar Thompson and Caris LeVert out and will hopefully force JB Bickerstaff to keep him in the rotation. 

Sasser hit 5-of-7 shots last night, including 4-of-5 from long range as the Pistons exploded for 138 points against the helpless Nets. Sasser showed two abilities the Pistons have desperately needed of late, which is the ability to make a 3-point shot and to get it himself. 

Sasser knocked down a couple of step-back 3’s that represent the type of secondary shot creation the Pistons have been missing behind Cade Cunningham. 

It’s good to play the Nets. 

But they won’t be every night, so Sasser and the Pistons have to show that the crisper and more efficient half-court offense they unleashed last night is sustainable against teams that actually play defense. 

Both Sasser and Kevin Huerter were gifted opportunities here, and if they seize them, JB Bickerstaff will be forced to rethink his rotation. 

JB Bickerstaff may have to forced away from Caris LeVert 

Caris LeVert is out with a sprained wrist, but he wasn’t playing well even when he was healthy, which hasn’t been much this season, as he’s already missed 19 games and counting. 

But that didn’t stop JB Bickerstaff from running him out there, and the Pistons’ head coach showed no indication that he was going to change that, in fact, he said just the opposite. 

Some of the scapegoating of LeVert is overblown, and he would likely be their best option if he was healthy and playing well, but that hasn’t been the case. 

With the Pistons struggling to find 3-point shooting, Sasser showed what he can bring to the table. Sasser has been struggling a bit lately but is still shooting 43 percent from long range on the season, which is the best on the team, albeit in a small sample size. 

Sasser will move back to the bench when Ausar Thompson comes back, but if he can keep knocking down 3-point shots, he should earn himself minutes with the second unit. 

Kevin Huerter hasn’t shot well this season, but he takes care of the ball and keeps it moving, things we haven’t been able to say about LeVert.

He might not have gotten this chance otherwise, so he needs to make the most of it.

The Pistons have a stretch of winnable games that should give them the chance to integrate Sasser and Huerter into the rotation and see if they should stay there even when the Pistons are at full strength.

You never want to see players get injured, but the silver lining to LeVert being out is that other players are being forced into action that might not have gotten otherwise and can potentially provide the Pistons a spark in the home stretch.