Three quick observations from Monday night’s 111-99 loss to the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena
TROUBLE FROM THREE – The Pistons hung with a Boston team that brought the NBA’s best record (37-16) to Little Caesars Arena for a half despite being outscored by 21 points from the 3-point line. Then Jayson Tatum took over in the third quarter, scoring 18 of his 34 points, and when the Pistons still couldn’t generate anything from the 3-point line their puncher’s chance appeared to land nothing but air. Yet after falling behind by 23 points late in the third quarter, they used Tatum’s brief absence to open the fourth quarter on a 14-3 run and eventually pull within six points. The big catalyst? After shooting 5 of 26 from the arc through three quarters, Killian Hayes hit three triples during the run. Ultimately, it was too much Tatum and too little perimeter punch that doomed the Pistons. They did a lot of things right – they limited their turnovers to nine and played good transition defense – but the differential from the 3-point line was a bridge too far. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 21 points in the final home game before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, which has featured his name prominently in the rumor mill though there is unanimity that the Pistons are only willing to listen and have set a high bar for offers for him and their other versatile scoring veteran, Alec Burks.
MIRROR IMAGE – It was with Boston’s tandem of Robert Williams and Al Horford in mind, more or less, that led the Pistons to their decision to pair Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. They’ve seen a budding Horford in Stewart since taking him with the 16th pick in the 2020 draft and Stewart is making the transition to power forward from center this season, Duren’s rapid development allowing the shift a little sooner than anticipated. Duren held his own against one of the NBA’s most athletic big men in Williams – though he spent a good chunk of his night guarding Horford, actually – in finishing with seven points and 14 rebounds. Stewart broke out of a 3-point slump in Saturday’s loss to Phoenix, making three late triples for his first makes in eight games after going 0 of 13 in the previous seven. Stewart shot 38.1 percent from the 3-point arc through Dec. 26, but was 10 of 52 (19.2 percent) since then entering Monday’s game. He missed three in his first-quarter stint against the Celtics and two more in the first two minutes of the third quarter and two more late in the quarter. He finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds but was 0 of 7 from distance.
BEY’S FUTURE – Dwane Casey said something that made the ears perk up a little before Monday’s game when he responded to a question of Saddiq Bey’s recent comfort zone while thriving with the second unit. Casey said one reason for bringing Bey off the bench is it avoids him playing with Bojan Bogdanovic and having their skills overlap. “Both of them demand the same area of the court and it’s very difficult for both of them to get that rhythm,” Casey said. Then Casey said this: “(Bey) could go back (to the starting unit), but once we’re ready to play for playoff position and championships, I feel that’s probably going to be his role with us. There’s no shame to that. You’ve got to have a dynamic bench.” Bey (14 points) and Killian Hayes (17) led the bench charge for the Pistons, who used four players on their second unit and blended them together with one of the two big men in their starting lineup, Jalen Duren or Isaiah Stewart. Cory Joseph was available after missing several games with lower-back soreness but he did not play.