The Detroit Pistons received a boost from Marcus Sasser’s outside shooting on Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Nets
Once Pistons third-year forward Ausar Thompson went down with a sprained ankle against the San Antonio Spurs four games ago, Detroit pivoted to a starting lineup that included Marcus Sasser in the back court from that point on.
On Tuesday night, the Sasser-Cade Cunningham back court pairing finally clicked in what was an emphatic 138-100 victory for the Pistons, a win that also ended Detroit’s season-long four-game losing streak.
For Cunningham, the floor general’s 21-point, 15-assist effort looked rather routine as the All-Star sat out the fourth quarter since the game was long decided by that point. But for Sasser, the third-year guard’s 21 minutes on the floor represented a look at what the Pistons offense would look like with another dangerous three-point shooter on the court to join Duncan Robinson.
Sasser logged 14 points (5-for-7 FGs) with four big triples against the Nets, and the Houston product offered a perimeter dimension that Detroit leveraged into a blowout win last night.
“It was fun just to get back in that win column and then to do it on [J.B. Bickerstaff’s] birthday, just icing on the cake, man,” Sasser said after the game. “I feel like we just went out there, played well, played with our pace and the outcome was the outcome.”
While Sasser’s offensive contributions were key in helping the Pistons establish a double-digit lead early in the first half against Brooklyn, the sharp-shooting combo guard gave a nod to his team’s attack on the other end of the floor.
“Just locking in on the defensive side and playing to our strengths, which is our pace and moving the ball, just keeping the ball hopping and then being aggressive when you do get the ball,” Sasser said. “So, that was kind of our main thing coming in tonight, just moving the ball, playing with pace and then locking up like we should every night.”
Since Sasser was pulled off the bench for his third consecutive spot start, the Pistons had the benefit of doling out those minutes to other rotation players in what was a comfortable Detroit victory. All 12 Pistons players who checked into the game ended up scoring for a balanced offensive display as the Motown squad improved to 46-18 on the season.
“I kind of think that’s been the strength of our team throughout the whole year,” Sasser said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys who can go out there and help us win, so I think it’s just the strength of this team really.”
Pistons guard Caris LeVert missed the game due to a sprained left wrist, so rookie Chaz Lanier even entered the game during the fourth quarter to chip in with a three-pointer of his own before the final buzzer sounded.
Next up, the Pistons have a home game against the Philadelphia 76ers (35-30) scheduled for Thursday, March 12 at 7 pm.
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