The Detroit Pistons have quality role players up and down the roster, but Paul Reed rose to the forefront against the Raptors
In lieu of Monday night’s brawl against the Charlotte Hornets, the Pistons took the court tonight against the Toronto Raptors on the road without All-Star center Jalen Duren or versatile big man Isaiah Stewart.
Both Duren and Stewart were suspended by the NBA for their roles in the lengthy scrap with JD incurring a two-game absence, while Beef Stew is slated to miss seven games. So, the Pistons were forced to shuffle the lineup without their big men down low against Toronto, but Detroit inadvertently sent a statement across the league– the squad with the deepest center rotation resides in the Motor City.
Replacing Duren or Stewart is no easy task, but replacing both of them is even tough– but not for Paul Reed. Thrust into the starting lineup away from home against the Eastern Conference’s No. 5 squad, Reed attacked the Raptors’ interior defense as soon as the game started en route to a 22-point performance (10-for-17 FGs) to go along with five rebounds, four blocks, three assists and three steals.
"P-Reed is one of the most unsung guys in all of this," Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the game. "If he was in any other situation, he's proven that he's been as a starter some places sometimes, as a backup for sure, as a big in this league who comes in and instantly gives you impact. Like the other night in Charlotte when he came in after not playing, the impact that he had in that game, he helped us win that game. He's elite with his hands defensively. He comes up with steals, deflections, blocked shots. Offensively, his ability to finish around the rim, make stand-still threes. He adds a level of energy and versatility to us."
What a luxury it is for the Pistons to have a third-string center who can enter the starting lineup at the drop of a hat, post an efficient 22-point effort against a playoff team on the road while also causing seven stocks on defense to help generate extra possessions. Reed’s production tonight was more reminiscent of an All-Star big man rather than a role player who is fortunate to log double-digit minutes on any given night.
Early on against the Raptors, Reed showed an agility in the post that gave Toronto’s defenders trouble all night. Reed is shifty with his movement and shields the basketball well, using his body to separate the ball from would-be shot blockers as he contorts his body towards the bucket. On one particular possession, Reed received the ball in transition near the three-point line, spotted a weakness in Toronto’s in the paint and exploited what little space he was given for a powerful burst to the rim for another Detroit bucket.
Of course, Cade Cunningham carried the brunt of the heavy lifting in the scoring department without Duren in the lineup, scoring 28 points in one of his best three-point shooting performances of the season. Cunningham went 6-for-11 from beyond the arc against Toronto with the Pistons putting forth a 41% clip from long-range.
In the rebounding department, Pistons forward Tobias Harris performed admirably with an increased attention to detail when it came to cleaning the glass. By the time the Pistons’ 18-point victory wound down, Harris finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds to help fill in for Duren and Stewart’s presence in the paint.
The Pistons also accomplished a notable feat with tonight’s victory and officially qualify as one of the teams that fit Phil Jackson’s famous championship-winning criteria by winning their 40th game before losing their 20th.
With the double-digit win over the Raptors in the books, the Pistons team– for the most part– will have some time to rest over All-Star Break. Now, Cunningham, Duren and Bickerstaff will all take part in the weekend festivities since they have major roles in the affair, but the rest of Detroit’s squad will likely enjoy some well earned time off before picking back up against the New York Knicks on Thursday, Feb. 19.
For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage. Also be sure to look up Roundtable - Michigan Men Media on Facebook for continued social media coverage of all the sporting teams in the Mitten.