For the second one recreation in a row, the Detroit Pistons could not deal with the ball. That, at the side of poor shooting, made Friday’s loss really feel larger than the general rating indicated.
The Pistons fell to the New Orleans Pelicans at the street, 107-101, to fall to 0-2 general in preseason play. Saddiq Bey completed with 23 issues (6-for-17 general, 5-for-10 from 3) and 7 rebounds, Isaiah Stewart had 14 issues (5-for-9 general, 2-for-5 from 3) and 7 rebounds, and Jaden Ivey additionally scored 14 issues (2-for-12 general, 9-for-9 on the line) at the side of six assists and 7 turnovers.
Pelicans backup level guard Jose Alvarado led all scorers with 28 issues.
New Orleans was once with out Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Herbert Jones. Detroit struggled anyway, shooting 36.5% from the sphere and 28.6% from 3. The Pistons may now not take care of an offensive rhythm after construction an early 20-9 lead, and trailed via as many as 13 in the second one part. Cade Cunningham tallied 10 issues, 8 assists and 4 rebounds.
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Ivey struggles from ground, shines at line
Ivey’s downhill gravity will create numerous excellent issues for the Pistons this season. It enabled him succeed in double-digits for the second-straight recreation on Friday, as he went 9-for-9 on the free-throw line regardless of shooting 2-for-12 general.
He is usually a foul-drawing magnet this season, because of his dimension and elite first step. Ivey’s athleticism has right away translated to the NBA. He’s unhealthy in the open ground and will beat maximum defenders off of the dribble. He’s been a prepared passer to this point. Even on off nights, he’ll be a productive participant if he continues leveraging his velocity the way in which he did in opposition to New Orleans.
Casey tweaks starters, performs two bigs
Presumably to compare up in opposition to the Pelicans’ Zion Williamson-Jonas Valanciunas frontcourt, Dwane Casey tweaked his beginning 5 to incorporate two bigs. Isaiah Stweart remained, and Bojan Bodganovic was once changed via Marvin Bagley III. Stewart did his section to make the pairing paintings via pulling down two of his 5 3-point makes an attempt. Long time period, the Pistons will nonetheless have to determine how such lineups will paintings defensively in a switch-heavy scheme.
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Jalen Duren didn’t play Friday evening and Nerlens Noel remains to be getting better from plantar fasciitis, so Stewart was once Detroit’s lone rotation participant who may give protection to the rim. The Pelicans capitalized, scoring 54 issues in the paint. Alvarado again and again punished the Pistons via discovering large open lanes to the basket. The factor must give a boost to when Noel will get wholesome, or if Duren proves he can shield the paint. It hurt the Pistons on Friday.
Turnovers plague Pistons once more
Detroit coughed the ball up 22 instances in opposition to the Knicks on Tuesday, and feature now dedicated 44 in two video games. They created 22 issues for the Pelicans on Friday. Ivey completed with seven after committing 0 in opposition to New York, and Killian Hayes had 5.
Teams that experience more than one younger ballhandlers, because the Pistons do, are going to have turnover problems. Hayes best had 5 video games remaining season with greater than 3 turnovers, so it’s not likely to be a ordinary factor for him. Many of them have been simply careless errors — errors that we’re not likely to peer as incessantly after we get to the common season. Players often mistimed passes or misplaced observe in their teammates.
Ivey may have nights like Tuesday, the place he made nice reads all evening and handed the ball higher than the field rating advised. He may also have nights like Friday, the place warring parties expected his passes and he sometimes attempted to pressure lanes to the rim that weren’t there. Like maximum younger guards, taking good care of the ball is a enlargement house.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@omarisankofa.
