I think we can all agree that the highlight of the night was Blake Griffin‘s return. Other than that, this game was almost unwatchable at times. Let’s review some of the bad points of the game.
Starting Lineup
Coach Dwane Casey Decided to go with a starting lineup of Rose, Kennard, Snell, Griffin, and Drummond. Derrick Rose and Luke Kennard are usually the Pistons punch off the bench. With them inserted in the starting lineup, no one on the bench could get going, except Langston Galloway(18 points). Also with those two starting, the Pistons have way too many weapons on the floor at the same time. That being said, those players cannot use their own talents all at the same time. As soon as the starters came off the floor, the offense became very stagnant. Casey would be better off starting Frazier, Galloway, Snell, Griffin, and Drummond. We will see what lineup he rolls out tonight.
Thon Maker
Coach Casey continues to play Thon Maker over Christian Wood. Last night Thon had 6 points and 1 rebound in 19 minutes. Christian Wood has been shaky on the defensive end this year, but has a proven offensive game. When Thon was on the floor during this game, he was getting bodied by practically every player on the Timberwolves. Coach Casey says that Thon is out there for defensive purposes, but he just looks lost at times. Hopefully this will be a wake up call for this team and Christian Wood will get more opportunities.
Andre Foul Trouble
This is the second game in a row that Andre Drummond has gotten in foul trouble due to silly fouls. It’s been very noticeable that he has been reaching for the ball as of late. The main problem with this is the fact that the Pistons need Andre on the floor. As soon as he exits, the whole pace of the game changes. Some fans have been calling him out for his effort as of late. he is averaging career highs on offense and defense so far this season, so i’m not too worried about him. Andre just needs to keep his fouls down so he can be on the floor to help his teammates.
In the above video from Friday night, Andre Drummond recognizes his foul troubles.
Outlook
I don’t think it is time to press the panic button on the Pistons yet. it is still very early in the season. Yes, there may be some worrisome issues, but they are very minor. If Dwane Casey can just figure out the right rotations and we can stay healthy, it can still be a very successful season. The Pistons take on the Miami Heat tonight at 7:00 p.m.
Piston Territory 