Betrayer

Pistons certainly made it fun to watch, but you pretty much knew they would come up short in the end. Lyles game looked nice on paper, but Miami knew just who to go after on the other end. They ran a screen to get him defending the guard (usually Lowry) every time down the court and it resulted in either a layup or a wide open look for a Heat player after the help had to come. They just picked him apart and he gave up as much as he got on the offensive end, if not more. Josh Jackson is abysmal. Mistake after mistake. I have no idea what happened to him, but he seems to have completely regressed. CoJo can play 42 minutes in a game like this but this team won't play its 20 year old starters more than 25 minutes on most nights...? Another nice game from Bey who seems to be figuring some things out since donning the headband. Would really like to have seen more Garza in this game. What could it hurt? It's not like we're winning games. Instead they rolled Cheick Diallo out there and went small a lot. It's going to be a long couple of weeks without Cade, Stewart, and Hayes.

Miami doubled him off of every screen to take him out of the game. He made the right read and got 10 assists as a result. Would've had way more if guys could hit their shots. 3rd solid game from Bey in a row. He's been getting started each game with some bully-ball for easy looks, using his strength. With his confidence up, the three ball has started to fall more regularly. Let's see if he can keep it up.

Sure, it's probably not a game they were going to win anyway, but Casey does it again. He leaves the second unit in until 5 minutes left in the 4th. They score just 1 point in that time period and the game completely flips. Casey has no concept of momentum or game management. KD plays 41 minutes at age 33 and we've got 20 year olds that Casey is afraid to play more than 20 minutes. Diallo was 5 for 8, but only played 20 minutes, and didn't even play in the 4th. On a good note, Cade continues to look really good. Yeah, the turnovers are rough, but he's scoring, rebounding, passing, stealing, and just filling the stat sheet. 26 points, (9-18 and 5 for 8 from 3), 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. Saben finally got a legitimate chance and played very well off the bench. 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. Hopefully we can be done with CoJo now. Lyles is still trash.

It's not like Jerami was getting us a bunch of wins. Honestly, I'm just sad they lost a potential trade piece. What does this starting lineup look like now? I was already pulling for moving Hami in as a starter in place of Bey, but I doubt that's possible now unless Casey really shakes things up. I think I'd try Hami at SF and Bey at PF. Bey has the strength to guard most PFs and he won't get beat by their quickness like he often does against SFs and SGs. Give that until Kelly returns and if it's not working you can tweak things again. But let's be real. This is Casey. He's going to find a way to start either Lyles or CoJo.

He's the real tank commander. Great character guy, which is good for development but I'm actually starting to wonder if his (lack of) offense, iso-plays, and lineups are actually hurting these player's NBA development. Maybe it's fine for this year, but we'll need to move on if we want to start getting some wins next year. He truly mishandled this game with his video game lineups where he rides 5 bench players for half of the 4th quarter. And that last play was just atrocious. They need a 3 with less than a second on the clock and: 1. Initially he leaves Stewart and Hami on the floor, while leaving Killian (the team's best 3 pt shooter) on the bench. 2. Cade - who has scored the last 4 buckets in OT is inbounding. 3. We try the play (to get Frank a shot at the logo) and they sniff it out, so Casey calls a timeout because we can't get the ball inbounds. 4. Casey swaps Stewart for CoJo (why CoJo?) and still runs the EXACT same play that they had already sniffed out. When asked why Killian wasn't in the game, Casey's response is that his +/- wasn't good for the game. Seriously? Plus/minus? That's what matters when you need to get a three with the last shot in OT? What a train wreck of a coach. And can we talk about Trey Lyles? There was a point where he went into 3 defenders and got his shot crushed at the rim (subtract 2 pts). Then the very next play he commits an intentional foul 30 feet from the bucket to prove a point (subtract 2 more points) and then gets a tech on top of it (subtract 1 more point). As soon as I saw it I said, "that guy is sitting on my bench for the rest of the game. And if we lose this game by 5 pts or less, he's not playing in the next game either." Guess what? We lost by 3.

Rough loss, but good for the tank. Cade had a really good game. His turnovers need to get under control, but he was the best player on the court for 3 quarters until SGA went crazy. Really didn't expect him to be such a good rebounder as well. Killian had a nice first half and then struggled in the second half. He's improving though and I really like watching him on defense. Bey continues to be not just bad, but terrible, this season. Hit a few shots in the first quarter to give us hope, but wound up 5 of 16, which means he was absolute trash outside of Q1. I think he only hit 1 shot the rest of the way. He's pump faking himself out of open shots, taking terrible side-step threes, and just looking lost out there. If Hami didn't have a broken face, I would make a lineup change. Casey continues to put this team in a bad position. This lead disappeared when he rode that terrible bench squad for way too long in the 4th. He simply decides on a rotation and never deviates no matter how the momentum changes during the game. Everyone watching could see what was happening, but he made no changes, didn't try bringing starters back early to shake it up at all. Lyles is straight trash. Goes out and jacks up bad shots, tries to take people off the dribble all the time, and just isn't good at any facet of the game. He was 2 for 7. Your back up big is shooting 41% from the floor and 29% from three with an eFG of 47% - that's bad on an epic level. Not sure who else to play, but he's not the answer. This team really needs a bouncy big man who can rebound, protect the paint, and be a vertical threat in the pick and roll.

Diallo out with a fractured face. It's too bad because he was playing well and with a lot of energy on both sides of the ball. In fact, I probably would've moved him into the starting lineup over Bey at this point. Corey Joseph ruled out due to a knee issue. Probably music to most fan's ears at this point. Maybe that means Saben minutes or maybe Casey will look to stagger Cade/Hayes by bringing one of them out early. I prefer he kept them playing together because they're really starting to build chemistry with passes to each other and back door cuts. They also have the best +/- of any duo on the team.

Booker is out for a little while.

Not sure of the answer to that, but I'm not worried about Cade. Rookies don't typically shoot well. Even KD shot 28% from three in his first season. Trae Young shot 32%. There are so many other examples. He's averaging 6.5 Rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, so he's finding ways to contribute. Not to mention that he'd easily be averaging 8 assists a game if anyone on this team could shoot. When comparing to last year, I also think people underestimate the impact of last season's vets. Mason Plumlee was a big man in the starting lineup who brought size and verticality to the squad. We also had Rose, Wright, and Ellington playing starter minutes for half the season. Those guys aren't All Stars, but they're enough to make the difference between 16 wins (current pace) and 20 wins (last year). Casey's offense isn't doing this team any favors either. Don't get me started on that. That said, there are a couple of concerns I have: Saddiq Bey - I have no idea what the deal is with Saddiq but it might be time for a lineup change. Hami has been really bringing it since given a chance to play and he could fit nicely in that starting lineup at SF. He's very active on defense, gets to the rim, and is the only real lob threat on the team (I have no idea why Casey doesn't run plays with Grant going to the rim off of a screen). It also addresses the lack of athleticism in that starting lineup, which is a major concern. The combo of Cade, Hayes, Bey, and Stewart is way too unathletic to work long term anyway. You won't be missing Bey's three ball...because it's not there anyway. This could also benefit Bey, who seemed to do well when running with the bench crew earlier in the year when Casey was trying to stagger Grant and Bey as the primary scorers before Cade came back. Beef Stew - Even with all the shooting woes on this team, the biggest need is still a Center who can rebound, block shots, and (especially) be a lob threat. I love Beef Stew's motor, but he looks more and more like a bench big man than a starter. He just doesn't offer any sort of offensive outlet to our ball handlers after setting the screen. The defense can key in on the ball handler with plenty of time to recover to Stew due to his lack of explosiveness, verticality, or willingness to shoot. This is really hurting the offense and our young ball handlers in particular.

Yep, I watched it, as always. Open looks just clanging off the rim. Not exactly sure how it's possible for a team to shoot this bad for this long.

The shooting discussion is both sad and funny because in the offseason I remember quote after quote from Casey and Weaver about how everything they were doing was to get shooters. Got rid of Mason. Added Kelly. Drafted Garza. Drafted Cade. Brought back Frank. Drafted Livers. Brought in Lyles. Literally every move was to get more shooters to the point where the team is hurting for any sort of athleticism and verticality because they doubled down on floor stretching. And yet here we are and they're not just bad at shooting - they're historically bad. Makes you wonder how that can be possible. Coaching? Confidence? Youth? Cade would have double digit assists every night if this team could shoot, because he's finding them for open looks over and over.

I think everyone knew the NBA was going to side with its darling, Lebron. He punches Stew in the face, makes him gush blood, but Stew gets suspended for longer. Whatever. Honestly, if I was the NBA I would have given them both 4 games because I have no idea how they're going to police that game in LA.

Agreed. Just nice to see people talking about this nationally and starting to recognize that Casey isn't the long term answer if you're trying to build a contender.

You need to watch more 4th quarters. Casey calls the Grant isolation play over and over and it doesn't work over and over. He's just not an iso player and the usual result is a long two point attempt, which is the least efficient shot in basketball and one that's he's only hitting 32% of the time. He certainly has his games where he's on fire (like last night) but he's much better in the flow of the offense like when he was getting wide open 3 point looks from the guards initiating the offense in the 2nd quarter or when he's using his athleticism to drive to the basket off of a screen. Putting the ball in his hands for an iso play in the 4th has been bad news ever since he came to Detroit, but Casey doesn't learn.

More importantly, Casey absolutely blew this game. He rode that bench lineup for way too long and it lost them the lead. Same thing he does in first quarters while the team is getting wrecked and he won't make changes until inside the 6 minute mark because he can't change the plan. Then that atrocity of a final play. Not only does he pull Frank Jackson who can actually shoot threes, but he calls a play for Hami to make an impossible pass. What a train wreck of a coach. Grandpa Casey is great for being a calming presence for young players, but if you're expecting to get better in the W column at some point with this team, he's not the guy. Or, at the very least you have to get him an offensive coordinator like Toronto did with Nurse. The rest of the NBA didn't realize that was why Casey won coach of the year, but Toronto sure did.

Coaches on the hot seat. Listing Casey as 3rd highest on the list. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-coaching-hot-seat-with-luke-walton-fired-frank-vogel-dwane-casey-stephen-silas-could-be-next-to-go/

Clear cheap shot by Lebron, punching Stew in the face. Yea, Stew should've stopped but when you're a 20 year old with adrenalin kicking and your face is gushing with blood, you're going at that guy. Stew was trucking Pistons staff like an NFL running back against middle schoolers.

No, that's why he came here when offered equal money by Denver (a good playoff team). He wanted the chance to showcase his skills. He can light it up when he gets hot, but he also takes a lot of low efficiency long two-pointers and isn't good at creating for others. Most don't see him as #1 or #2 option on a championship team and question his timeline with the Pistons youth movement, so you'll often hear people talk of moving him for picks or a younger player.

Watched the game as usual (I mean, I haven't missed a Pistons game in 20 years now) and it was definitely a fun one. Cade - This kid is good. As others have already said, he came up huge in this game. Played solid defense, hit shots and made plays in the clutch. Even for all the talk of his "lack of athleticism" I rarely see him struggle to get to the rim or get an open look when he attacks...and we're not even 10 games into his NBA career yet. Also, it's great to see everyone - and I mean everyone - deferring to him already as the primary ball handler. Killian - That hand is a problem. He's fighting through it and I commend his grit, but he may need to take some time off for it to heal. Also, his defense is next level good. I could see him making first team all-defense at some point in his career. If his 3pt shooting this year isn't a fluke and he continues to improve in that area, there's no reason he can't be a really good NBA player as a 3 and D guard who can be a secondary ball handler. Imagine if Bruce Brown had figured out that 3pt shot and could handle the ball - only I think Hayes may be an even better defender already at age 20. Again, he hasn't even played half of an NBA season yet. Josh vs Hami - Josh and Hami are a bit redundant in Casey's view, so I suppose only one of them gets to play. Honestly, I'm ok with this. For every good play Josh makes, he makes another bad play. Beginning to feel like Josh is what he is and I see a lot more potential with Hami (if he can ever figure that 3pt shot out). Hami got some run and was neither bad nor good, although it was nice to see someone with elite athleticism out there. He had one block from behind that was just sick. Frank and Bey - Seem to be finding their shot again. I like Bey and I know a lot of people are really high on him, but I'm seeing him as a Jae Crowder in his prime type of player: Going to get you 14 points, 5 rebounds, good defense, high IQ every night. He's not your #1 or #2 player, and probably not even your #3 player on a championship team, but he could be that 4th guy in the starting lineup who you can't leave open on offense and will be a bulldog on defense night in and night out. Stewart - Solid comeback game after a pretty bad outing against SAC. I still wonder if he's the right fit as a starting center though. We really need an athletic lob threat, shot blocking, rebounding big. Someone that can make defenses pay in the pick and roll with Cade. Love Beef Stew's effort and ability to switch on defense, but I question his ceiling. Either way, I want him to remain a Piston and I think he could be great feasting on backups as the primary bench big man once we find our Mobley type of player. CoJo - Finally had a nice game, but I just don't care. Play Saben and develop him.

Killian has been improving all season. You probably don't see it if you just watch the box scores, but he's giving me a little hope. His defense was already solid and continues to impress me more and more. He's also shooting a team high 43.3% from three this year (yes, you read that right). He's a solid passer and he'll get you a few rebounds from the guard spot as well. And let's not forget that he hasn't played even half a season of NBA ball yet in his career. I have no idea what this kid will become, but if he can continue to improve in this way, then I see no reason he can't be a solid backcourt compliment to Cade. A number of guys found themselves again in this game, which was good to see. Bey found his 3pt shot and had an all-around solid game. Beef Stew was killing it inside by getting open after guard penetration. Josh Jackson gives me Sheed flashbacks in a way. One second he's making you cheer with an awesome block and two second later he's making you pull out your hair with a careless turnover at the absolute worst time. Oh, and since it's been a day or two since I've said it: CoJo needs to sit on the bench and be a locker room guy. Play Saben or stagger the minutes better with Cade and Killian by taking one out early and then subbing him for the other one (stop playing two groups of five, Casey!). Either way, I don't need to see CoJo pounding the air out of the ball. I'd rather watch someone who has a chance to develop than watch someone who's terrible and has no chance to develop into anything other than what he is. We can say that the G League is garbage, but Jalen Green got drafted second overall by averaging 18ppg in the G League. How many is Saben averaging again? Oh yeah, 38ppg. And even if you want to say that it doesn't matter, the 51% from 3pt range on 9 attempts per game absolutely does matter. Bring him up and play him. Sit CoJo.

Getting worked over by Casey isn’t helping much either. This is half bad shooting and half terrible coaching. Gotta fix one or both soon. Also, Saben with: 42, 8, and 8 33, 9, and 2 and 40, 9, and 5 on 50% 3pt shooting over his 3 G league games. Do we really need to see Corey Joseph?

Damn! It's on ESPN? That means I have to wait 3 hours after it airs to watch on League Pass.

Stewart and Griffin are not friends and I love it:

In case you missed it, here's Stewart's crossover and dunk:

Saben Lee with 42 in his Cruise debut. Yeah, it's G League, but kid's got some potential and I'd much rather watch him develop than watch CoJo dribble the life out of the ball.