ALERT: Detroit Pistons Win, But 3-Game SLUMP on 3-Point Defense—Is This a Trend or Bad Luck?
Detroit Pistons escape with a nail-biting 124-116 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder’s B team, but concerning defensive lapses raise big questions. Can the Pistons tighten their perimeter defense and address their struggles against stretch bigs before it costs them? Ku Khahil spotlights Jalen Duren’s difficulties guarding the 3-point line and why the team’s recent history of allowing 18+ threes per game puts their standing in the Eastern Conference at risk.
Cade Cunningham’s efficient 29-point performance headlines a strong showing from the Pistons’ starters, with Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson delivering critical responses after a tough loss to the Spurs. The episode also breaks down Duncan Robinson’s injury scare, evaluates Kevin Huerter’s missed opportunity, and addresses slumping bench play from Daniss Jenkins and Caris LeVert. Are roster adjustments and increased 3-point volume the key to Detroit’s playoff hopes?
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17 Comments
It almost feels like JB is trying to impliment a new wrinkle to the defense and the players aren't all on the same page. But it could just be a statistical quirk causing me to see something that isn't there.
Maybe it's just because I don't get to watch the game live & just get the NBA highlights, but man I am sick of seeing teams go on straight HEATERS from 3 to keep themselves in the game!
I feel you covered it well Ku, but man am I sick of it! LoL
Pistons do a terrible job playing the personnel on defense. They make it hard on themselves. Going over vs non shooters, showing 2 vs poor shot creators, over helping against bad finishers.
Ish smith?
So dumb. Every center in the league gets this, save for maybe chet or Wemby if it's their focus. Its just boring. Yes when centers go off from 3 it's because they're centers and it has 0 to do with the opposing center. Dumb and still boring a year later… The whole reason teams like centers who shoot 3s is becau6its impossible to guard. Stop spinning about it
We defend better w Reed as a starter (when duren was out) cuz Reed is a much better defender than duren. duren cont to be on/off on defensive assignments. Hes gotten better but needs to cont to improve. Kat couldn’t lightbupnstew or Reed which allowed us to shut him down. Where as he burned duren last year from 3. It’s really difficult for a guy his size to keep the gear up on defense comparing for lighter more nimble Reed
GG. See yall in a month when SGA comes back for BTA..
Make sure you go back and say that the coach needs to play Thompson regardless. How he learned from it and yall didnt see it a mile away..thats just crazy work
Tight game against the 2nd string okc players. Fully healthy the pistons getting cooked
I think the other teams have decided to just jack 3s as the game plan against the Pistons. The last 3 games have been 40, 40 and now 49 threes attempted by the opponent. Its not even basketball, but they know they cant score inside so thats the plan. In addition, the long bounces off the missed threes have been going against the Pistons, so the 2nd chance points have gone the wrong way…and that also kills the Pistons run game. Its a run of bad luck….nothing more. Go Pistons.
This is more of a win for okc having their bench almost beat our team at full power. I can’t feel totally satisfied that we got a win against their B team, and really didn’t look good that we had our starters having to play all the way to the final buzzer didn’t look right. It’s like if you turned on the game in the 4th qtr with 2 min left and see our starters still in the game against their G team, it didn’t look right. We desperately need another scorer, this is becoming more clear as we play better teams.
I’m genuinely happy with this team. Some of you are just upset and/or angry for the sake of it.
I’ve been watching this team since 1988. I’m 47 now, and honestly, this is one of the best rosters we’ve put together, and it’s also one of the youngest in franchise history. What are some of you expecting? A 68–14 season right out of the gate? Could it happen? Maybe. But that’s not the point.
This team is winning while also developing. That matters.
Bickerstaff is only in his second season here. Some fans are acting like he should already have every answer, every rotation perfected, every late-game situation solved. That’s not how development works, especially with a core group that’s mostly 20–24 years old. Young players improve month to month, not just year to year.
It’s very different from coaching a roster full of 29-year-olds who already know their game inside and out. Growth takes reps. It takes adjustments. It takes patience.
And as someone who coaches, I can tell you: developing a team while also winning, especially when you’re the top seed and everyone is targeting you, is one of the hardest things to manage.
Let this team grow. Let them build chemistry. Let them figure it out while they’re stacking wins, you mfera insta generation.. everything is instant.. growth mfers growth…
BAD BOYS III. No gimmicks – NO DIDDY, NO WILL SMITH. Just PISTONS
I think you were thinking of Will Bynum as the PG. I think he had 20 assists in 2010
Danis Jenkins needs to play better, we're just giving money at this point. It's easy to ballbout when you don't have expectations,but now we gave him a contract he has to live up to it.
Ku I think we get more production from Stew at the 4, vs. Toby, if you really pay attention!
I love what Toby brings to the team, but 25 min. 4points & 6 rebounds for your second highest paid player is unacceptable, gotta have more production from our starting PF!
30:28 Carlos aroyyo?