The Detroit Pistons are growing up.
Their 115-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday was a thrilling conclusion to January, encapsulating the various ways the team has improved over the first 30 days of 2022. The Cavaliers opened the game with a 15-0 run. Cade Cunningham missed all 10 of his first-half shots and went scoreless for two quarters. Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk were still out as they recover from COVID-19 and are in the NBA’s reconditioning protocols.
That combo almost certainly would’ve led to a loss earlier in the season. But instead of getting buried, the Pistons dug in and pulled off a rally against one of the Eastern Conference’s leaders. Cunningham recovered with an outstanding second half, finishing with 19 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds — the second triple-double of his 40-game career. Saddiq Bey shook off a quiet first half as well, scoring 23 points in the second half en route to a game-high 31 points. Frank Jackson scored 13 of his 19 points in the first quarter, helping the Pistons reduce the early deficit. The rest of the bench kept Detroit afloat until the starters found their grooves.
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Their eight-minute, 22-2 run that began with about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter wiped out a nine-point deficit, and then some. Their first lead of the game came with just over five minutes left to play, but the Pistons continued to keep their foot on the gas. They outrebounded a much-bigger Cavaliers team 48-41 and committed just nine turnovers. Cleveland dominated the first four minutes — Detroit controlled the remaining 44.
The Pistons entered 2022 at 5-28, then went 7-9 in January. That year-opening stretch includes wins over the Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz and Toronto Raptors — all playoff contenders. They won more January games than the Los Angeles Lakers (6), New York Knicks (6) and Brooklyn Nets (6) — all playoff teams last season — and the same total as the Bucks, the defending champs.
They’re getting better, and while there’s still a ways to go in their rebuild, the habits they’ve showcased this past month are building blocks for next season and beyond. While the Pistons are still prone to off nights — see Friday’s 16-point loss to the Orlando Magic — good performances are increasing in frequency.
“What we’re striving for is growth, yes, but also consistency,” coach Dwane Casey said after Sunday’s victory. “Consistency in our approach, consistency in our execution, consistency in our defensive schemes. Whatever it is, we’re working on consistency. That’s something that we’re preaching, because tonight’s game was day and night compared to the Orlando game.”
Just how are the Pistons doing it?
Cunningham is NBA’s No. 1 rookie
The No. 1 overall pick in 2021 just keeps getting better. January was Cunningham’s best month, and he’s making a significant Rookie of the Year case. Among rookies with five games in January (entering Monday), Cunningham ranks first in scoring average (17.3), second in assists (5.6), , sixth in blocks (0.8) and sixth (tied) in steals (1.1) during the month.
Cunningham has also been Detroit’s best player in that span. With Grant out, the rookie is embracing a closingrole. He already has a significant highlight reel of clutch plays in close games. He added several more Sunday, knocking down two 3-pointers and making two timely steals in the final six minutes. Just after the Pistons had taken their first lead, he rebounded a missed free throw by Isaiah Stewart, brought the ball to the top of the key and drained a 28-foot stepback jumper over Dean Wade. The Pistons led the rest of the way.
“He’s a clutch player,” Casey said. “He has ‘it’ down the stretch and hopefully it continues throughout his career here in Detroit. The bigger the moment, the better Cade steps up in those moments.”
Cunningham’s game is both effective and exciting. He disorients defenders with in-and-out dribbles, pump fakes, jab steps, spin moves and liberal use of his shoulders when driving to the rim. He keeps his head on a swivel and regularly weaves difficult passes through traffic. At least once a week, he’ll make a highlight-worthy chasedown block. Cunningham doesn’t need outstanding leaping ability or blinding quickness to make the crowd “ooh” and “ahh.” He brings fans to their feet with his effort, anticipation and nimble ball-handling.
Sunday was a showcase of why the apparent two best players (so far) of this draft class — Cunningham and Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley — are so highly regarded. Mobley is Cunningham’s stiffest competition for Rookie of the Year, with many pundits saying he’s in the lead. He’s a major reason why Cleveland is one of the NBA’s most-improved teams this season. A defensive savant who can handle nearly any assignment, Mobley has also thrived as an interior scorer. His occasional deft passes and outside shots tease a lofty ceiling as a two-way center.
But Mobley hasn’t had to carry the load Cunningham has. After four years of rebuilding following LeBron James’ departure in 2018, the Cavaliers were due for an improved season, thanks to several budding stars and multiple talented veterans on the roster. Mobley has been a big part of their success, but he hasn’t been burdened as the focus of the offense. Cunningham, meanwhile, has been one of Detroit’s few sources of consistent offense.
Cunningham said he knew Sunday’s game would be cast as a battle of two of the top rookies, but his mind is on the bigger picture.
“I definitely knew that that was going to be one of the narratives of the game,” he said. “I never try to focus in too much on that stuff. I can’t play Evan Mobley’s game better than him, and he can’t play my game better than me. I try to just focus on what I have to do to play the game, and I’m sure he’s doing the same. If I just focus on myself, I feel like I put myself in the best position. Sometimes when you focus on the narratives and stuff, your mind is not in the right place.”
Bey’s all-around game improving
After primarily functioning as a catch-and-shoot outside threat as a rookie, Bey’s diversified shot selection has been the most significant change in his game this year. Bey took 63% of his shots from behind the arc last season (according to the website Cleaning the Glass, which adds in fouls and weeds out halfcourt heaves and garbage-time heaves). This season, he’s at 49%, with a corresponding increase in attempts from midrange and at the rim.
Bey was inefficient on 2-pointers last season, and, well, he still is this season. But he has improved as the season has progressed, and he and Cunningham have formed a nice offensive duo when paired together. Bey shot 67% at the rim and 44% on long 2’s during his first 15 January games, according to Cleaning The Glass. Both numbers are slightly above-average for wings. But January also brought his highest volume of 3-point attempts: He hoisted 8.4 3s per game, knocking them down at a 36.6% clip. That, in turn, is helping him get better lanes to the rim. Just three 3-point makes were included in Sunday night’s 31-point performance.
“Any time he’s aggressive, getting downhill, getting open looks, we’re in a good place,” Cunningham said. “That’s been something that me and him, we’re trying to build our chemistry upm and we know that we can play well off of each other, we’re going to create a lot of shots for each other. So him having games like tonight is essential for our team because he’s capable of it. He can go get 30 points in the game.”
Bench filling in absence of Grant, Olynyk
Casey is hopeful that Grant and Olynyk, Detroit’s highest-paid players, will return before the Feb. 10 trade deadline. But after initially struggling after losing Olynyk on Nov. 10 and Grant on Dec. 10, the Pistons are learning they’re capable of thriving without them. That’s not to say they’re better without them — it’s a significant talent downgrade, after all — but the reserves can do enough for the Pistons to win.
Detroit’s backups are averaging 38.6 points per game, the fourth-best in the league. In January, they averaged 42 points a game — second only to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pistons’ bench depth took a significant hit as December turned to January, with several G League players filled in for members of the regular rotation while they were in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. But during the month’s final weekend, the bench outplayed the starting five. The second unit scored 29 of the Pistons’ first 32 points Sunday after that 15-0 opening run by the Cavs. In Friday’s loss, the reserves made a 15-3 run to trim Orlando’s 21-point lead to single digits in the second quarter.
Trey Lyles has become one of Detroit’s most reliable scorers, and Cory Joseph and Rodney McGruder have had hot shooting months. Joseph replaced second-year guard Killian Hayes in the starting five last week, allowing Hayes to grab minutes as a lead ball-handler with the second unit. Frank Jackson can score in a hurry, and Josh Jackson has provided energy with his effort and streaky shooting.
Lyles averaged 14.1 points, six rebounds and a team-high 5.6 free throws attempts in about 24 minutes per game in January. While defending bigger players in the paint has been a challenge, he’s making up for it on the offensive end. Joseph averaged 10.9 points on 54.3% shooting and 49.4% shooting from 3, and McGruder averaged 8.6 points on 48.4% shooting and 47.5% shooting from 3.
“That second group, there’s been a few games where the first starting unit has a bad start, and they bring us right back in it,” Cunningham said. “Trey, Frank, Rodney, Kill, I can name the whole group. They come in and they go out and play and bring energy, and that’s what you need. Some nights, it’s not going to be there for the first unit, but having the second unit come in, be locked in and make plays for us, get us back in it.”
“He’s given us everything he had, and hopefully he can get back to his normal position when Kelly comes back and Jerami comes back,” Casey added of Lyles. “Hopefully, he keeps his shooting hand hot. I told him tonight, he was hotter than fish grease, so keep shooting it.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.