The trio of Pistons players had a strong preseason debut against the Grizzlies

Last night, the Pistons kicked off the preseason with a 16-point road victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, but it took Detroit a little bit of time to shake off the rust and get going. 

Early on, the Pistons were a bit overwhelmed by the Grizzlies’ sharp shooting, particularly from three-point range. At one point in the first quarter, Memphis was a perfect 6-for-6 from deep, so the Grizzlies were taking what Detroit gave them and subsequently knocking down those opportunities. To make matters worse, the Pistons committed nine turnovers, so Detroit gifted the home squad a few free possessions to work with.

Still, the Pistons kept battling and charged back with a strong 50-point second quarter to take control of the game. The Pistons starters only played the first half, but it was impactful gametime as star point guard Cade Cunningham dropped 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting and showcased a varied skillset. Everyone knows Cade has a deep bag, and he was in it on Monday with mid-range jumpers, floaters, three balls and acrobatic lob layups en route to scoring 20.

Detroit Pistons Win First Preseason Game 128-112 As Cade Cunningham Drops 20 <i>The Pistons turned a momentum-swinging 50-point second quarter into a preseason victory over Memphis</i>

After Cunningham, Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart both chipped in with 13 and 12 points respectively. Stewart started the preseason game in place of an injured Jalen Duren (hamstring), though his ailment does not appear to be serious. 

From a team perspective, the Pistons shot a solid field goal percentage (53.3%), dominated on the glass (55 rebounds to 38), ran the fastbreak more effectively (26 points to 10) and controlled the paint all night (64 paint points to 24). At one point in the first half, the Grizzlies had stretched out a 21-point lead, but Detroit was able to claw back into the game and entered halftime with a 10-point edge.

Player Of The Game: Cade Cunningham

As many expected prior to the game, Cunningham strutted his stuff in the limited amount of gametime he was afforded. In addition to his game-high 20 points, Cunningham posted four assists, three rebounds and two steals in his preseason debut. Cunningham made quality decisions with the basketball and made it look effortless as he ran the Pistons offense.

Standout Non-Starter Performance: Chaz Lanier and Paul Reed

This one comes in with a tie as both Paul Reed and Chaz Lanier acquitted themselves very well in the preseason contest. For the former, Reed was an absolute force on the boards and snatched 12 rebounds in 18 minutes of gametime, and his presence was felt on defense all throughout the second half. Reed made it difficult for Memphis to score in the paint, which is reinforced by the team’s paltry 24-point sum.

As for Lanier, the relative of Detroit Pistons legend Bob Lanier, the rookie out of Tennessee had a strong outing in front of his family in Memphis. Lanier shot 4-for-6 from the field and scored 11 points along with three rebounds and a block. While most of his time came during the second half after the starters were out, Lanier did receive a little bit of run with Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Stewart and Ausar Thompson, so Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made an effort to work the youngster into different lineup combinations in the preseason contest.

Next, the Detroit Pistons will take on the Milwaukee Bucks on the road on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 8 pm. 

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