Three quick observations from Sunday night’s 99-91 win over the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena
YOUTH, SERVED – The Pistons haven’t tried to camouflage the fact that one of the critical missions of their 2020-21 season is to see what they have with all the young players added to the roster. It might not be something he tries anytime soon in the regular season, but Dwane Casey went down the stretch of Sunday’s second preseason game with a lineup that included three 19-year-olds plus 21-year-old Saddiq Bey. When it was time for Killian Hayes to sit, Casey replaced him with rookie Saben Lee. The kids did it against Knicks starters and top-of-the-rotation players, too. Best of the bench: Sekou Doumbouya. Doumbouya has gotten overshadowed by the four rookie draft picks but he starred as the Pistons evened their preseason record at 1-1 by scoring 23 points in 18 minutes, hitting 8 of 11 shots and 2 of 4 from the 3-point arc while grabbing five rebounds. Casey maintained the same starting lineup, second unit and basic rotation pattern on Sunday as he’d employed in Friday’s opener. Blake Griffin, Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee, Delon Wright and Hayes started; the second unit consisted of Derrick Rose, Doumbouya, Jahlil Okafor, Josh Jackson and Svi Mykhailiuk.
QUICK LEARNER – Killian Hayes said after Friday’s seven-turnover debut that he’d watch videotape, learn and come back better in Sunday’s second preseason game and he was true to his word. Hayes finished with six points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in a team-high 25 minutes, but perhaps the most impressive stat was his zero turnovers. He could have easily had several more assists, having two wiped out on successive first-half possessions when Delon Wright’s corner three was disallowed because he stepped out of bounds and Jahlil Okafor’s layup – set up by a clever behind-the-back Hayes drop pass in transition – was taken off the board for a charging call. Hayes also made several strong defensive plays with two first-half steals and he tied up R.J. Barrett as he drove for a layup. The only blemish on Hayes’ night was wayward shooting. The French teen, the No. 7 pick in last month’s draft, hit 2 of 11 overall and was 1 of 6 from the 3-point arc.
NO NIGHTS OFF – In a typical preseason, Dwane Casey likely would rest veterans like Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose for a game or two. But with only four preseason games scheduled and the Pistons having their 2019-20 season ended on March 11, there will be no built-in games of rest for Griffin, Rose or anyone else, Casey said Sunday. Griffin’s time between games stretches past March; before Friday’s preseason opener, he’d last played in late December before having his season ended by early-January knee surgery. It’s always possible Casey rethinks his usage of Griffin and Rose since both looked like they were ready for the regular season in Sunday’s outing. Griffin in both games has logged the bulk of his minutes in the first half, playing 14 of his 23 in Sunday’s first half and finishing with 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. Rose finished with 11 points and a game-high eight assists in 17 minutes. Casey said he had the option to schedule fewer than four preseason games, but he wanted to play the maximum allowed this season – not only because of the length of the Pistons’ off-season but also because so much of the roster was turned over.
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December 14, 2020 at 09:53AM
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Youth is served as Casey lets Pistons kids close out Knicks; Sekou stars - Pistons.com
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