Jaden Ivey made his regular season debut against the Bucks after injuries have kept him out since January 1st. The Pistons wisely brought him off the bench to ease him back into play. Ivey has looked rusty in the first half, but is showing that his athleticism has clearly returned and he’s ready to make an impact for the rest of the season.
Jaden Ivey makes his long-awaited return
Ivey’s return signals a potential additional creator for the Pistons offense. While Daniss Jenkins has carried the mantle of backup point guard admirably in the last few games, the Pistons needed to add more depth at the guard position. Ivey can give the Pistons another consistent driver who can create shots for himself and his teammates.
In his first minutes back on the court, Ivey’s rust was clear. He had some defensive miscommunications, which unfortunately emphasized the concerns about his play on that end. But Ivey has bounced back in his minutes since his first substitution and held up defensively. As a smaller guard, Ivey won’t be able to make plays the same way Cade Cunningham can, but he can still be a positive defender by staying in the right positions.
Offensively, Ivey is rapidly showing his typical speed and devastating finishing as the game progresses. He’s pushed the break and helped the Pistons get transition opportunities that might otherwise not have been present. He’s also got a layup and another finish through contact that was called back when the foul was declared on the floor.
One of Ivey’s most significant developments last season was his 3-point shot. He shot 41% from three on 5 attempts per game after being a subpar outside shooter his first 2 seasons. In the first half, he’s already hit a three and contributed to the Pistons’ devastating team shooting - they are 8-of-16 from long range.
Ivey picked the perfect game to make his return. The Pistons are dominating the Bucks (without Giannis Antetokounmpo) so far to the tune of a 17 point halftime lead. He also gets to face off with rival Cole Anthony, whose reckless play led to his initial traumatic injury. And sweetest of all, the Pistons are on pace to break their 13 game losing streak against Milwaukee, marking a full turnaround for the franchise.
Jaden Ivey isn’t quite back to full form just yet but he’s announcing his trajectory in his first action in 10 months. The Pistons have the luxury of slowly bringing him back into the rotation at his own pace due to their depth and overall dominance thus far. As his health improves and he gets comfortable on the court again, he’ll be trusted with more responsibility and the Pistons will add another weapon to a team that’s already on top of the East.