The Pistons have weathered many injuries this season, but tonight is their first game without Duncan Robinson and it's showing. Robinson suffered an ankle sprain in Detroit's narrow victory over his former team, the Heat, on Saturday night. His absence has exposed the Pistons' lack of shooting and offensive struggles.
Robinson is Detroit's only consistent shooter
In Robinson's place, two-way guard Daniss Jenkins is starting alongside Cade Cunningham. Jenkins offers more playmaking and scoring off the dribble than Robinson, but isn't as potent of a shooter. In fact, very few players in the league can match Robinson's production as a shooter. He's ninth in the NBA in threes made this season while shooting them at a 40% clip.
But Robinson's impact goes even beyond his made threes. He's constantly on the move offensively and drags defenders with him as he flies off screens. His off-ball impact has helped his teammates in all different lineups, whether it's the normal starting unit or a game where Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren are out. It's no wonder that he has one of the highest offensive ratings on the team.
In their first quarter without Robinson all season, the Pistons finished with just 25 points - well short of their average of 120 points per game. They shot 2-of-8 from three in the quarter and struggled offensively overall. Not only were the shots not falling without Robinson's shooting gravity, but the Pistons also did a poor job of protecting the ball. They also had 6 turnovers in the quarter.
The offense looked especially rough right out of the gate. The Pistons had 5 turnovers in the first 5 minutes, which is usually when Robinson has helped settle the offense recently. He often hits a 3 in the opening minutes to kickstart the offense and establish himself as a threat for the opposing defense.
And Robinson has stepped up big time this season on the other end of the court. He had arguably his best defensive game as a Piston in Miami, but has competed consistently. He's not as talented of a defender as some of his teammates, but Robinson's effort has made it easier for other Pistons to make defensive plays. It was a major weakness of his on the Heat, but it's clear that the Pistons have inspired him to improve defensively.
When the Pistons traded for Robinson in the offseason, they received a lot of criticism for his contract, which pays $16.8 million this season. But he's quickly proving to be worth the deal this season with his irreplacable shooting. He's the only Piston that opposing defenses respect as an established shooter, and he uses that to his advantage. On paper, Robinson is one of the league's best shooters but his impact goes even beyond the stats.