The Detroit Pistons are down 3-1 to the Orlando Magic, and there is plenty of blame to go around after another disappointing performance.
There is also credit due, as the Magic have been great in this series and have basically beaten the Pistons at their own game. They've been more aggressive, energetic and physical, and though neither team has shot the ball well, the Magic have hit more big shots.
Turnovers were the big stat in game four, as the Pistons coughed it up 20 times with Cade Cunningham leading the way yet again. Cunningham has to take some of the blame for the way this series has gone, as he has been a turnover machine. But it's hard for me to kill him when he's pretty much a one man show and is playing with normally reliable players that look like they are afraid of the ball.
This has been a team effort and a team disappointment but two guys in particular have been killing the Pistons.
Jalen Duren may be playing himself off the team
I don't know what to say about Duren except that he hasn't looked like the same guy who made an All-NBA bid this season.
He's been slow to everything, careless with the ball and has gotten stuffed by Wendell Carter Jr. more times than I care to remember. Nothing has been easy for Duren and he looks as if the pressure of being the number two scorer is getting to him.
The Pistons are getting more than enough from Tobias Harris, so if Duren were even close to his season averages, the Pistons would be winning these games, but he has still not even logged a 10 rebound game in the series.
He was standing flat footed watching wings grab rebounds tonight, as the Pistons were once again out-rebounded by the Magic as they have been in all three of the losses. Orlando grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to offset their bad shooting, and eventually that has to come back to your center.
I don't know if we can even see Duren in the next game, as Paul Reed did more in seven minutes than Duren has done all series. It's not fun to write this, as Duren has proven so many people wrong this season, but he's been terrible in this series.
Duncan Robinson is a problem
We knew teams were going to target Robinson in the playoffs and there was concern (at least from me) that he'd get played off the floor. We also know Robinson is the Pistons only good 3-point shooter, we hoped his shooting would be enough to offset the defense.
It hasnt.
Robinson was just 1-of-5 from the 3-point line tonight and was repeatedly attacked on the other end with the Magic going at him nearly every play.
If he is hitting shots, you can live with it, but if he's not, it's hard to, but the Pistons don't have many other options. We may need to see all of them in game five, as the season is on the line.
Will we continue to see this or will the Pistons respond?
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