Under the Hood - it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.
Cade was a monster last night, and he put the team on his back in the fourth quarter to put the Grizzlies away.
He put on a masterclass of shot creation in the final frame. He was drawing fouls, getting out in transition, hitting floaters in the lane, making off-the-dribble threes, and when the team needed him most, he had two clutch isolation baskets to put the nail in the Memphis coffin.
His last two makes were big time. JB Bickerstaff put the ball in the hands of the best player on the court and told him to go to work.
Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and Ron Holland from the line: 13-for-13
Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson from the line: 7-for-16
It’s early, but both Cade and Ausar have to be better from the line. Both are shooting career-low from the line on a career-high amount of attempts:
The good news is that they’re both getting to the line more than they ever had, but you gotta make those freebies!
Lastly, what a game by Isaiah Stewart.
Forced to start at PF with Tobias Harris taking this game off, he had a career-high 26 points and was second on the team with 18 FGA. He added 14 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks while shooting the long ball eight (!) times. That’s only the fifth time in his career he had attempted at least eight three-pointers.
THIS is the Stew I’ve been waiting on: Stretch Five Stew. Sure, he only made two of them, but the fact that he’s spacing the floor, getting shots up, and not hesitating on those attempts is what Stew needs to grow his offensive game.
Here are all eight of his attempts - each one is an open look, in rhythm, and I want him to shoot it every time he’s presented with these opportunities. It seemed like Memphis was willing to leave him open and that surprises me. Stew is now shooting 41% from deep on 3+ attempts per game. Keep letting it fly, Beef - get those attempts up!