Duncan Robinson was a priority free agent signing for the Detroit Pistons this offseason, not because of what he could offer the team throughout the regular season, but because of the three-point shooting he could contribute when the postseason arrived.
On Sunday, the sharpshooter got his first taste of playoff action in the Motor City against the No. 8 seed Orlando Magic, a team that many felt the Pistons could handle in their sleep given the inconsistent play from Jamahl Mosley's squad this season.
Nonetheless, Detroit found out a tough lesson at the worst-possible time.
Not only did they learn that Orlando may have been playing possum this entire season, but the team may also be forced to come to terms with the fact that Robinson won't deliver the playoff boost the team signed him for.
Duncan Robinson failed the Pistons when they needed him most
It became evident early into Game 1 of this series, that the Magic's game plan was to force Cade Cunningham to beat them.
And considering the offensive question marks surrounding Detroit entering this matchup, it's fair to say that the game plan shouldn't come as a surprise.
With Orlando successfully removing star big man Jalen Duren from the equation, it was clear that if the Pistons were going to escape this trap game, they'd need help on the offensive side of the floor.
All eyes shifted to Robinson, whose quick three-point shot could have been a weapon that saved them from losing homecourt advantage in their first postseason test as the No. 1 seed in the East.
Unfortunately, the Michigan product failed to rise to the occasion, finishing with just nine points, shooting 3-for-8 from the floor.
It may seem harsh to judge Robinson on the single-digit scoring night, but it's not about the lack of scoring contribution, but more about the lack of aggressiveness throughout this matchup.
Detroit needs Robinson to be aggressive
Robinson doesn't have to make every shot he takes to pull the pressure from Cunningham, but the more he shoots, the more oppposing defenses have to account for him getting hot.
The sharpshooter only attempted eight shots in Game 1, six of those attempts being threes. Finishing 3-for-6 from beyond the arc is exactly why it's frustrating that the offseason signing failed to put more shots up.
Shooting 41.0% from three throughout this season, the 31-year-old can be a lethal weapon when he's looking for his shot, and with the Pistons looking for a spark trailing throughout most of this game, that spark could have come from Robinson.
Detroit needs the forward to be aggressive and if he's not looking to get his shot off at every opportunity, it'll only limit how well Detroit's offense can play, and that alone puts them at a disadvantage against a defense that is begging for the Pistons to rely on one player to beat them.
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