The Detroit Pistons are enjoying a mini-break after getting bounced from the NBA Cup, with four days between their win over the Knicks and tomorrow’s matchup vs. the Celtics in Boston.
The Pistons went into this short vacation on a high note, having dispatched of the Knicks on the road behind a monster game from Cade Cunningham.
With 25 games played so far this season, we are starting to get answers to some of the questions about the roster, but still need a lot more data, which only comes with more minutes for certain players.
Here are four I’d like to see more of when the Pistons get back at it tomorrow against the defending champs.
Isaiah Stewart
I’ve been banging this drum for a while now, but the Pistons are simply a better team when Beef Stew is on the floor.
Their offensive rating goes way up and their defensive rating down, ending in a nine-point swing by simply swapping Stewart for Duren in the starting five.
They are essentially playing equal minutes at the moment, but I’d like to see Beef Stew getting more of them moving forward whether he comes off the bench or is moved into the starting five.
There has also been trade chatter around Stewart, so while I would not like to see him moved, getting him more playing time with the starters will only increase his value.
Ausar Thompson
This isn’t off to a good start, as Thompson is listed as day-to-day with a minor groin injury. We will have to see if the short break was enough to get him back in there and we know the Pistons are going to be extra cautious.
But at some point, Thompson needs to be playing more than 15 minutes per game. He’s obviously been limited since his return from blood clots, which is entirely understandable and the right thing to do, but the Pistons need his defense and secondary playmaking when he’s finally back at 100 percent.
I’d love to see him switch minutes with Tim Hardaway Jr., who is playing 27 per game or take a few minutes from Simone Fontecchio. Thompson impacts the game every time he steps on the floor and we need to see more of him, something I am sure coach Bickerstaff agrees with, so they just need to get him healthy and up to speed.
Ron Holland II
Holland is another guy who seems to make defensive plays every time he gets in the game, but he needs more minutes to find some kind of rhythm on offense.
He’s only playing 15 minutes per game, and his shooting has been suspect, but he plays hard and it’s time to reward that effort with increased playing time.
He can take a few minutes from THJ and a few from Fontecchio to get closer to 20 per game. The Pistons have two former #5 picks lingering on the bench while THJ, who is on an expiring contract, is playing huge minutes.
As the season progresses, that needs to change.
Marcus Sasser
The Pistons’ biggest issue this season has been their offense, as they are still a below-average team when it comes to shooting, so they need points wherever they can get them.
That includes Sasser, who has shot the ball well when he’s played, hitting 54 percent of his shots overall and over 40 percent from 3-point range. He’s only appeared in 16 games and played 13 minutes per, so it would be nice to see him get some run with the second unit.
Malik Beasley has been the only real scoring threat off the bench for the Pistons, so if Sasser could provide some lightning in a bottle scoring for a few minutes per game it would be a big boost.
The Pistons also need to figure out what they have in Sasser, as right now he doesn’t have a clear role and may not if they decide to bring back Malik Beasley. He could be a trade asset at the deadline, so more data would be useful.