DETROIT – The Pistons played without three of their five best players in the season’s 45th game, which didn’t make it remarkably different from the 44 that preceded it. But the two who played – Derrick Rose and Reggie Jackson, the latter returning after a 42-game void in his season – are point guards, and so the 21-point win over Sacramento was a useful reminder of how important that position is in today’s NBA.
And a painful reminder of what the Pistons might have been this season.
“He gives us two big-time point guards on the floor,” Dwane Casey said after Jackson and Rose posted matching 22-point nights. “When you can alternate those two guys, you have stability at the point guard position. That’s what this league is about – guys who can create, run the floor. Having those two guys together makes a difference.”
Jackson has missed big chunks of three of the past four seasons and the Pistons have suffered for it, their record with and without him in stark contrast. After knee and ankle injuries that wrecked his 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, Jackson struggled to hit his stride when he returned.
Not this time, in large measure because he didn’t return from a stress reaction of his lower back until he felt fully ready to do so. Jackson credited the teams video staff – a bunch of young, recent college players – for working ceaselessly with him in simulated scrimmages in recent weeks with pushing him toward a return, plus the training staff, teammates and organization for their patience and understanding.
The injury he suffered in preseason and sidelined him after two regular-season games in late October “messed up my sleeping patterns,” Jackson said. “It was annoying. It was very difficult to do everyday tasks. Feeling good is great. I’m very fortunate, very thankful God’s given me a chance to get healthy. Having the training staff we had, the organization was lenient, allowed me to fly to California to see one of the best back specialists in the world. So they’ve done a great job of assisting me and giving me the best chance to come back healthy.”
Jackson packed a lot into his 19 minutes, hitting 8 of 14 shots and all three of his free throws, finishing with four assists – it could have been doubled had a few more finishes been converted – and two steals against a single turnover. He looked bouncy, confident and in control of the environment.
“Reggie had some fresh legs,” Markieff Morris said. “He came back tonight very aggressive. Seemed like he didn’t miss a beat. He was big in the win tonight.”
“He’s been working. He’s really been working his butt off,” Langston Galloway said. “Guys aren’t going to come back until they’re 100 percent and they’ve been playing in practice and able to compete at a high level. I think that’s what really helped help. He’s been able to practice with us going full speed and when we’re gone, he’s still here doing conditioning and getting his game ready. Give credit to him for all the work he’s put in while he’s been out.”
With Jackson limited and Rose – who passed 11,000 career points and tied his career-best streak of 10 straight games of 20 or more points – operating under the same minutes restriction as he’s had all year, Casey was only able to pair Jackson and Rose for three minutes. No coincidence that the Pistons outscored Sacramento 8-2 in that time and took a five-point lead to 11 late in the first half, never having that lead seriously threatened.
“He looked great out there,” said Christian Wood, whose 23 points led the Pistons in the 127-106 win. “He’s getting everybody involved. His shot looked good. Seems like he was getting in a good rhythm. Seems like he’s been playing for a while. It’s good to see him out there healthy.”
The Pistons played without Andre Drummond, still feeling the effects of the blow to the face that lacerated his lip and inner mouth while dislodging a tooth in Monday’s game at Washington, in addition to Blake Griffin and Luke Kennard. Griffin was on the bench for the first time since undergoing knee surgery earlier this month. Also missing were Bruce Brown and Tim Frazier, out with the flu.
For all they were missing, the Pistons had two point guards comfortable with the ball in their hands in critical moments. That’s a pretty good place to start in today’s NBA.
“I felt good and was just fortunate enough to make some shots,” Jackson said. “Teammates did a great job spacing the fall, setting screens, getting the ball to me. Just made the game easy.”