The Detroit Pistons could have a secret three-point shooting weapon hiding in plain sight
In last night’s slump-busting 38-point win over the Brooklyn Nets, the Pistons received a major boost from beyond the arc as Detroit shot 50% from long-range in their 138-100 road victory.
Without defensive ace Ausar Thompson in the lineup, the Pistons pivoted to an offensive attack centered around three-point efficiency, and Detroit’s All-Star point guard set the tone with a 4-for-5 effort from downtown. In total, Cade Cunningham logged 21 points (8-for-10 FGs) while distributing 15 assists against the Nets in a performance that foreshadowed what the Pistons’ offense could look like with an improved conversion rate from distance in the postseason.
But on Tuesday night, Cunningham put the finishing touches on what has been a stellar month of long-range shooting since starting the All-Star Game in early February. In 11 games since the mid-year break, Cunningham has shot 43.2% when aiming for a three-bagger, and his rhythm as a shooter has helped Detroit score at all three levels on a more consistent basis.
This season, Detroit ranks No. 21 in the NBA for three-point field goal percentage at 34.7%, so even a modest improvement from the perimeter would bring the Pistons closer to the league average with the playoffs right around the corner. But against the Nets, Cunningham was one of many Pistons to catch a groove in Brooklyn as third-year guard Marcus Sasser also matched Cunningham’s shooting stroke with a 4-for-5 showing from three-point range himself.
“He’s dynamic also,” Bickerstaff said of Sasser. “We know his ability to make shots. He can score the ball, he can handle it, he can initiate, but I love the fact that just watching him pick up full court, getting teams into their offense later in the clock. It ignites the guys that are behind him also, so I love that part of it.”
With both Sasser and Cunningham connecting on their triples, the Pistons offense cruised to a comfortable double-digit victory over the Nets and even established a large enough lead to filter their 11th and 12th from the bench and into the rotation before the game wrapped up. Rookie Chaz Lanier, who has bounced between the G-League and the Pistons in search of quality, consistent minutes, even contributed a three-pointer to put the game further out of reach late in the fourth quarter.
For most of the regular season, Duncan Robinson has served as Detroit’s primary (and on some nights, singular) perimeter threat. In his first year on the Pistons, Robinson is shooting just under 40% from outside and offers the floor spacing and perimeter gravity that have become crucial elements to the modern NBA, so the veteran’s role in Detroit has been clear since day one.
But for the Pistons to extend their season deep into the playoffs, Cunningham may need to continue his hot streak from beyond the arc well into the postseason. Detroit’s offense functions at its highest level when the team runs in transition, but the Pistons could become even more difficult to dispatch if Cade keeps drilling three-pointers at his recent pace.
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