Detroit Pistons: Duncan Robinson Putting Together Another Elite Shooting Campaign

With the Detroit Pistons already in third place in the East at 7-3, the Central Division squad has benefited immensely from Duncan Robinson’s unconscious shooting streak to start the regular season. 

Not only has Robinson continued to pace the league for three-point percentage, but he’s helped mask a major weakness in Detroit’s offense that popped up when Jalen Duren strained his right hamstring. With the 22-year old All-Star out of the lineup, the Pistons needed to find a substitute for roughly 20 points per game, which is where Robinson’s consistency from beyond the arc enters the picture. 

Through 10 games, Robinson is averaging 18.6 points per game this year on 68.4% true shooting. Since the veteran sniper takes upwards of nine triples per game, that means he’s connecting on more difficult shots at a higher rate than most of his peers. In terms of pull-up threes, Robinson ranks in the 93rd percentile versus the rest of the NBA, which is actually a paltry ranking considering the rest of his shooting metrics. 

Last season, the Pistons feasted off of dribble hand-offs that featured Robinson as the rifleman, and they’ve found similar success in that department already. Robinson, who averages 1.56 points per hand-off, ranks in the 99th percentile league-wide for that action, so it’s continued to be a mainstay in the Detroit offense— for good reason. 

As of late, the Pistons have tinkered with their starting lineup since Duren will remain out for at least another week, but Robinson’s position in the first five is relatively safe considering his elite perimeter shooting. Last year, Detroit ranked just 17th in the regular season for three-point shooting percentage, and Robinson is a huge reason why the Pistons are currently No. 9 in the same category right now. 

Replacing Duren is a task that’s easier said than done, but Robinson has at least made it an attainable goal. The Pistons are 6-3 since JD went down against the Miami Heat, so the squad is winning games at just about the same rate as the season prior, but the ability to stockpile victories without an All-NBA Third-Teamer in the lineup is worth celebrating in itself. 

Most recently, the Pistons posted an 11-point win over the Washington Wizards at home on the tail end of a back-to-back with Robinson notching 22 points and four triples to his credit. Detroit decided to go with a smaller starting lineup since Paul Reed began the matchup on the bench in favor of Daniss Jenkins in the backcourt, but Robinson knocked down his steady diet of long-range shots just like he’s done all season long.