Detroit Pistons’ Hamidou Diallo just working on fitting in with new team
Detroit Pistons forward Hamidou Diallo speaks to the media after the 118-104 win over the Raptors on Monday, March 29, 2021, at Little Caesars Arena.
Detroit Pistons, Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Pistons traded for Hamidou Diallo on March 12. He made his debut with the team two weeks later on March 26, and delivered a performance on Monday that showed why Troy Weaver wanted him.
Diallo finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and two assists to help the Pistons blow out the Toronto Raptors, 118-104, at Little Caesars Arena on Monday. A groin injury caused him to miss 12 consecutive games from Feb. 26 until Friday, but he showed no signs of being affected by it.
It was a performance that showcased all of his skills — his defense, athleticism, quick first step and ability to finish at the rim. Weaver, who was an assistant GM with the Oklahoma City Thunder when they traded for Diallo on draft night in 2018, recently said that Diallo’s competitiveness and defense were two attributes that made him a trade target. He might’ve been Detroit’s best overall player in Monday’s blowout victory.
“At this time of year that’s what you need is an energy guy like that, playing hard, athletic,” Dwane Casey said after the game. “A lot of teams don’t want to fight that right now. That’s what we didn’t have against Washington.
“Once he came in the game, the game changed and it kinda lit a fire under everybody,” Casey continued. “The game sped up and the rest is history. Athletic young man, just scratching the surface of who he can be in this league.”
Diallo got off to a fast start, scoring 14 of his 19 points in the first half. He got his first bucket in the first quarter, grabbing the defensive rebound and taking the ball coast-to-coast himself. He used a head fake after crossing the halfcourt line to create an open lane between two defenders. His next two buckets — a cut and step-through to finish a layup past Aron Baynes, and a corner 3-pointer — gave him seven first-quarter points.
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He kept it going in the second, creeping back toward the 3-point arc before using the space to attack and glide past Kyle Lowry for an and-1 finish, and catching Rodney Hood in midair for two more free throws.
While Diallo certainly benefits from his quick first step and ability to hang in midair, he also has great timing and footwork when driving to the rim. After the game, Casey praised his ability to thrive both in the half court and in transition.
“You said the key word — patience and understanding what the defense is giving him,” Casey said. “I thought he did that tonight. It was impressive, his patience with the ball in transition. A guy like him is going to get a defensive rebound and go with it. Decisions are very, very important when you do that. I think we might have thrown a couple away on the break, but for the most part I thought he made great decisions on the break. That’s what it’s all about. It doesn’t matter the lob or the oh-ah pass. It was solid decision and we did that in transition and also in the half court.”
Diallo, speaking to the media for the first time as a Piston on Monday, said he is happy to join the team, partly became of his relationship with Weaver dating back to their time with the Thunder. He said Weaver was like a mentor to him, giving him the lay of the land while playing with superstars in Russell Westbrook and Paul George, and giving him pep talks when he was feeling down about his rookie season.
Diallo, on a minutes restriction for now — he played 27 on Monday — and he praised the training staff’s cautious approach to his return. He knows what type of players Weaver likes, and he’s working to live up to it.
“I would say, when you talk about the energy and the competitiveness, just trying to leave it all out there on the court every night,” Diallo said. “We’re so gifted and blessed to be playing this game that we love as a job, so every night I step out there, I try to leave it all out on the floor. Don’t matter what the uniform is, no matter who we’re playing against, no matter what’s the circumstances, just try to leave it all on the floor because with everything going on in the world, this game can be taken from you in seconds. Just try to leave that type of impression every night.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here’s how you can gain access to our most exclusive Pistons content. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.