In surprising fashion, perimeter shooting was the difference for the Pistons on Wednesday night
Playing without Cade Cunningham, who had to sit out due to illness, the Detroit Pistons made a mountain out of what could have been a molehill in their matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Entering the game, the Pelicans had lost 13 of their last 15 games, whereas the Pistons were coming off a three-game winning streak and in a firm position of first place in the East. Clearly, these two organizations are headed in opposite directions, but the Pistons were only able to grind out an eight-point victory in New Orleans, walking away with a 112-104 win.
While the Pistons are not traditionally a lethal team from behind the arc, Detroit’s perimeter shooting is what ultimately made the difference against the Pelicans. The Pistons finished the contest 15-for-39 from behind the three-point line, good enough for 38%, while New Orleans hoisted up brick after brick all game long. The Pelicans connected on just seven triples out of 32 attempts, and Detroit was able to turn their productive shooting night into a fourth consecutive win.
From an individual perspective, Pistons center Jalen Duren had a dominant night in the Big Easy. Duren posted 20 points and 15 rebounds in the cross-conference matchup, and he was aggressive from the very start. Right after the opening tip-off, Duren peeled to the hoop for a thunderous windmill slam dunk to set the tone in what was a strong offensive performance for the All-Star hopeful.
As part of the Pistons’ perimeter attack on Wednesday night, Duncan Robinson continued to fill the hoop from long-range with four triples in the single-digit win, which marked six consecutive games for the veteran shooter with at least four three-pointers. Robinson showcased his ability as a motion shooter, and the Pelicans did not close out quick enough to stifle Detroit’s specialist from distance.
Filling in for Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins stepped into the starting lineup for the road game and admirably led the Pistons’ offense in what hovered around an eight-point lead for most of the game. Jenkins showed off his lightning-quick change of direction and speedy first step in abundance, and the second-year guard finished with 17 points and four assists in his spot start.
From a stylistic standpoint, the Pelicans are the only team in the league that averages more points in the paint than the Pistons, and they won that matchup again on Wednesday, outscoring Detroit by a 54-48 margin. Still, the Pistons effectiveness from the perimeter put them over the top against a struggling Pelicans unit.
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