There has been endless talk about the Detroit Pistons’ need for a second scoring option and more 3-point shooting, but they have players on the roster who could provide both with big second halves to the season.
There’s not much to complain about after the 41 games, as the Pistons sit atop the Eastern Conference by 5.5 games and have amassed a 22-6 record against the East.
They’d done this despite myriad injuries to key players and the aforementioned lack of a consistent 2nd scoring option and little 3-point shooting.
The Pistons could address these needs at the trade deadline, but they also have players who could explode onto the scene in the second half and help strengthen some of those weaknesses.
Jaden Ivey has to return to form
It’s anyone’s guess whether Jaden Ivey will still be with the Pistons past the February 5th trade deadline, but if he is, the Pistons need more from him than eight points per game.
If the Pistons even had the Ivey before his broken leg last season, it’s doubtful anyone would be talking about the need for a second scoring option, but we’ve yet to see that Ivey this season.
He’s still having trouble getting downhill, which causes him to dribble into traffic and leads to tough turnovers, a problem that is exacerbated by the lack of shooting from the bench unit.
Ivey just doesn’t look confident, comfortable or aggressive since returning, but we also have to remember the context of his injury and trying to rejoin a team that excelled without him.
He’s still only getting 17 minutes per game as JB Bickerstaff stubbornly tries to make certain bench lineups work, but at some point, he’s going to have to find ways to get Ivey more minutes if he wants him to take off in the second half.
It’s a tough juggling act, and Ivey remains the biggest question mark and potential X-Factor in the Pistons rotation.
Ron Holland II needs to make more corner 3-pointers
Ron Holland II has made an impact this season with his defense and better rebounding of late, but he’s still a work in progress on the offensive end.
Teams are still daring Holland to shoot from long range, and you can’t blame them, as he’s hitting just 23 percent of his 3-point shots on the season. The worst part is that most of them are wide-open corner 3’s, which are considered one of the easiest and most efficient shots you can get.
Holland’s form doesn’t look bad, and he’s the team leader in “shots I thought were going in but didn’t,” so if he can just start making some of these corner 3’s, it will make a big difference for the bench offense, which struggles to find space.
Will we see more of Marcus Sasser?
Sasser has been the forgotten man this season and I am not sure why, as he’s shot the ball extremely well in the 11 games he’s played and isn’t a liability on defense.
If the Pistons want more shooting, how about more minutes for the guy leading the team in 3-point percentage? It’s a small sample size, but Sasser is shooting 45 percent from 3-point range this season.
He’s shooting 48.8 percent overall and is a guy who can get his own shot, so if the Pistons are looking for an offensive boost, it may be sitting on their bench.
Every great team needs unexpected contributions, and the Pistons have gotten those from guys like Javonte Green and Daniss Jenkins, but if they can get one or more of these guys to pop in the second half, they will be even more dangerous in the playoffs.