What did we learn from the Detroit Pistons' win?
![Dec 30, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended Dec 30, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2572,h_1446,x_0,y_169/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/67/01hk0767djwmg25sprmw.jpg)
After 28 straight losses, it would be disingenuous to pretend last night's win was a turning point for the Detroit Pistons.
They barely won against a shorthanded team on the second game of a back-to-back, but a win is a win and all they can do is try to build on it.
Even though one win may not matter to the bigger picture, there were things the Pistons can learn from it.
What can the Detroit Pistons learn from their first win in two months?
If they take care of the ball, they have a chance
The Pistons are 2nd-worst in the NBA when it comes to turnovers per game, but last night they only coughed it up 11 times.
The starting backcourt had 16 assists and just one turnover combined, mostly due to a masterful night from Cade Cunningham, who put on a proper star performance even though his shots weren't falling early.
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Bojan Bogdanovic and Killian Hayes had seven between them, with Hayes' three being especially bad considering he only played 10 minutes. Part of Killian's problem right now is that he and James Wiseman have been completely out of sync on the pick-and-roll to the point you have to wonder why either of them is playing at all.
Wiseman did have three blocks last night, but two of Killian's turnovers happened when he rolled to the wrong spot and brought his defender exactly where Hayes was trying to go. It's been ugly basketball between the two of them.
But the Pistons took care of the ball enough to eke out a victory, which is what they will have to do every game to have a chance.
The Pistons need something from their complementary players
Detroit got big games from Alec Burks, Kevin Knox and Jalen Duren, who finally took some of the scoring load off Cade Cunningham and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Cade was happy to play facilitator early in the game, and for once the guys around him were making shots. The bench was finally a net positive and one of the dreaded all-bench units extended a lead for once.
It can't just be Cade and Bojan every night, the Pistons need other people to hit shots, which seems obvious but hasn't happened all season.
The Detroit Pistons need to get to the free-throw line
Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey were just 10-of-25 from the field combined, but they were 19-of-22 from the free-throw line to make up for it.
Alec Burks was 5-of-5, Jalen Duren was 6-of-6, including some clutch ones down the stretch that helped ice the game, and even Ausar Thompson made both of his attempts.
The Pistons were 35-of-40 as a team, outscoring the Raptors by 12 points on the line, which was the difference in the game.
The Pistons aren't going to shoot 40 free throws every game, but this is a weapon in their arsenal that can help them overcome some of their shooting woes.
Cade and Ivey have to keep attacking, as does Duren, who should get to the line more often than he does. This is how the Pistons can make up for their normally poor 3-point shooting while getting the other team in foul trouble.
It was only one win, so let's not start raising banners, but it showed some of the things the Pistons will have to do consistently if they want to win a few more.
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