The Detroit Pistons are handling who’s in front of them. They’ve exploded offensively after a brief four-game rut. Detroit takes on the Memphis Grizzlies tonight. You need to scroll three times to view their full injury report.
Tonight’s matchup won’t be a battle between two playoff teams, but the Pistons are finding a rhythm from deep. Some of the most important strikers are trending in the right direction as the playoffs approach.
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
The Brooklyn Nets and last night’s Philadelphia 76ers aren’t the most stout defensive teams, but making shots can do good for a player’s mental. Duncan Robinson went 8/10 from deep in the two demolitions. That type of hot streak needs to continue against the great teams.
Robinson is shooting 35 percent from 3 against top-10 defenses, according to Cleaning The Glass. It makes sense that tougher defenses make shooters take more difficult shots, but maybe a hot stretch vs lesser opponents can trigger an overall parade from range.
Javonte Green’s shooting is always an extra. If he can make defenses pay consistently, his playoff minutes might increase. It’s no secret that teams are going to leave streaky shooters like Green to bottle up Cade Cunningham. Green was nails going 4-6 from 3 last night. This version of Green is a 3-and-D menace who seems up for the moment.
Marcus Sasser has stepped in as a shot taker and maker. He’s a sparkplug. He won’t start when Ausar Thompson eventually returns, but Sasser is another piece on the board JB Bickerstaff can play. Sasser has always shown he can get buckets, and there will be dry spots in the postseason where he could help the team.
Cade had it going from deep in three of the past four games. He only shot the ball six times last night. His off-the-bounce shooting could swing a playoff series one way or another. He has shot 36 percent on 3.5 pullup 3-point attempts for the season. Was last year more about poor pullup shooting or Cade seeing playoff defenses for the first time? I’d bet he’s better this time around.
The Grizzlies saw the playoffs last year, too, but they’re far from that type of team now. They’ve trotted out a very young roster over the last few weeks. 21-year-old GG Jackson has been one of their focal points lately. Ty Jerome has been too. He missed the last game with a calf injury.
This isn’t Jackson’s first time getting the keys over the final stretch of the year. During the last 18 games of the 2024 season, Jackson averaged 20 points. He had a 44-point bomb on the last day of the regular season.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper has been the Grizzlies’ big with Zach Edey out for the year. Prosper isn’t the force and paint beast Edey is, but he can shoot the rock. 38 percent of his shots are from 3, and he’s solid.
Javon Small, Jaylen Wells, and Rayan Rupert are other candidates who could play 30-plus minutes tonight. The Grizzlies are on a six-game losing streak with a minus-7.6 net rating in that span. They won’t win the Western Conference, but Detroit has to focus on itself. Don’t play down to your comp and continue to handle who is in front of you.
Detroit Pistons (47-18): Cade Cunningham, Marcus Sasser, Duncan Robinson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Memphis Grizzlies (23-42): Javon Smart, Rayan Rupert, Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Is Javonte Green a 25-30 MPG type player when he’s hitting 3s?
