Detroit Pistons 106, Atlanta Hawks 94
Andre Drummond photo via the Detroit Pistons
BERKLEY, Mich.–It’s only one game. But it’s a start.
The Detroit Pistons looked excellent in their season opener, nearly running the Atlanta Hawks out of their own gym before some late threes made it feel closer than it was. This was exactly the Pistons team I hoped for: suffocating on defense, all over the glass, and just enough outside shooting to keep the other team honest.
The big man Andre Drummond lived up to top billing with 18 points and 19 rebounds. Drummond is still a beast, and his effort can’t be questioned. But he’s just not good in the post. He has nothing resembling a go-to move, or even a move that he should go to occasionally. His best post move is tapping a rebound to himself until he can throw it down. They should still give Drummond the ball, because he’s young, and he deserves it for all the rebounding he does. But he’s more Ben Wallace than Hakeem Olajuwon and I don’t expect that to change this season.
The real star of the night was shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who played with the kind of confidence and audacity he usually leaves behind in Auburn Hills. KCP hit several big threes and threw down a vicious dunk on a breakaway, another step forward for the third-year pro. If KCP becomes a reliable 15-17 ppg scorer, it would significantly increase the odds of the Pistons making the playoffs this year.
Big props to Coach and general manager Stan Van Gundy for signing both Eryan Ilyasova and Marcus Morris. I appear to have underrated both, especially Morris, whose offensive game was significantly more impressive than I expected. Morris is one of the few Pistons who can get his own shot, and he was able to do it with aplomb against the Hawks. Morris also had good chemistry with his teammates on defense, and fits well for now at either forward position.
Ilyasova was also solid, but more in line with expectations. He defends well, can find the open man and shoot from long range. He is a good chip for this team but I’m not sure he belongs in the starting lineup with Morris once rookie Stanley Johnson finds his way. The bench is considerably less talented on offense, with backup point guard Steve Blake creating almost all of the shots.
Johnson looked good in his first NBA game, with his jumper improving as the evening wore on. He also flashed something special on his way to the basket, splitting two defenders and floating the ball over a third before goaltending was called. I am still a believer in Johnson, but it will take some time. He looks the part though, and the moment didn’t overwhelm him in the slightest. He should be a good playmaker right away.
The Pistons did have some trouble keeping Atlanta point guards Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder in front of them. Blake is a liability on defense, and starting point guard Reggie Jackson’s decision-making was suspect at best. Jackson spent far too much time pounding the rock before pulling up and taking contested threes. A couple fell, but that’s not a winning long-term strategy. He should go back to the pick-and-roll.
But overall the team defense and chemistry were fantastic, so Jackson probably should get some credit for that at least. Morris and Ilyasova looked like they have been here for years, and the defensive upgrade was immediately apparent. Drummond has been improving with his footwork and did well when it came to avoiding unnecessary fouls. He even made six out of ten free throws, which is sadly a significant improvement.
Tomorrow night’s home opener against Utah will be a good indicator of how serious this team is about maintaining its level of defensive effort. The pieces are certainly there, with Drummond and backup Aron Baynes providing solid help in the paint. If Van Gundy can keep this team defending at a high level, the wins will come. Our offense is still a work in progress, but consistent defense and rebounding can more than offset that weakness and put Detroit in the playoffs this year.