Losing Jalen Duren is a tough blow for the Detroit Pistons. He’s not going to be out forever, but the Pistons are already pretty thin at the center position. They traded Isaiah Stewart this summer, giving Paul Reed a clear runway to take over the backup center minutes. Well, now the Pistons’ trust in Reed is going to be tested. And he’s already off to a good start.
On Wednesday night, the Pistons bounced back from a loss to the New York Knicks. They beat the Charlotte Hornets, mounting a double-digit comeback (that largely took place in the second half). And Reed looked good. Not only that, but he also played heavy minutes.
Detroit needs Duren back. That much is obvious. But in the meantime, Reed’s talent will be tested, and so will the Pistons’ decision to put their trust in him.
Paul Reed is making Pistons' bet pay off
During the playoffs last year, Reed was a bit of a revelation for the Pistons. There were times when JB Bickerstaff even decided to keep Reed on the floor instead of Duren (who was struggling).
Now, Reed is the Pistons’ full-time backup center. But with the news that Duren is going to miss a couple of weeks with a strained hamstring, he’s going to have to step up into a larger role.
That’s exactly what he did against the Hornets on Wednesday night. Reed was very impressive. He was one of the better players on the Pistons, and he had to be.
With Duren out, not only has Reed been upgraded to the Pistons’ starting center, but they also don’t have much big-man help behind him. In fact, Reed was the only true center who played. John Collins (who started at the four) and Tolu Smith (who played 40 seconds) were the other options who played.
Reed ended up playing 38:08 against the Hornets. Only Cade Cunningham played more than he did, clocking in at 38:34. Only three players on the Pistons logged over 30 minutes (Duncan Robinson was the third).
By the end of the night, Reed finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals, and one block while shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-2 from beyond the three-point arc.
Reed has clearly earned the trust of Bickerstaff and the Pistons. They are comfortable giving him heavy minutes. They are comfortable keeping him on the floor.
Slowly but surely, Reed is making the Pistons’ bet on him this summer pay off.
Add us as a preferred source on Google