The San Antonio Spurs marched into Little Caesars Arena last night and walked away with their ninth straight win with a 114-103 victory over the Detroit Pistons. It was only the 14th loss of the season for the Pistons, who were unable to prevail in the playoff-like atmosphere against one of the league’s best teams.
Detroit’s Shooting Woes
Devin Vassell scored a game-high 28 points for the Spurs, going 7-for-11 from behind the arc. In fact, Vassell’s seven threes matched the Pistons’ 7-for-36 clip from deep in the defeat.
Three-point shooting has been a real concern for Detroit, as they rank 22nd in three-point percentage (34.9%) and 28th in three-pointers made per game (11.1) this season.
Their dominant frontcourt and crafty passing from Cade Cunningham have allowed them to remain effective, but this could be a warning sign for Detroit’s playoff hopes if they can’t score from deep.
Cunningham’s Rough Night
It wasn’t a great game for Cunningham either, as he went 5/26 from the field with a game-low -18 plus/minus. The MVP candidate will have a huge role to play in any potential Pistons playoff run, and he cannot afford to shoot like he did if they hope to contend this season.
On defense, the Pistons struggled early. They allowed the Spurs to jump out to a 14-2 lead thanks to three straight triples from Vassell before clawing back to earn a 27-24 lead heading into the second quarter. However, that was the last time the Pistons led, as 33 points allowed in the frame let the Spurs pull away.
Rotation Questions as Spurs Take Control
Despite perimeter defense being a concern for Detroit, arguably the league’s best exterior defender, Ausar Thompson, played just 18 minutes, including only four in the second half.
Pistons’ head coach JB Bickerstaff said that it was Ron Holland II’s excellent play that kept Thompson on the sidelines, but considering Holland and Thompson have the best two-man net rating among any Pistons duo this season, that was a flimsy excuse for poor coaching decisions.
Wembanyama’s Two-Way Impact
The Spurs snapped the Pistons’ five-game win streak with their ninth straight win. Victor Wembanyama’s presence was felt on both ends of the court, as he did an excellent job of containing Jalen Duren on the glass.
Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 blocks, and a +13 plus/minus. Wembanyama can score the basketball himself, but his real difference-maker is the attention he draws from defenders.
Even a physical defender like Duren couldn’t contain him, forcing the Pistons to rotate inside and abandon their assignment on the perimeter. This allowed many of Vassell’s 7 triples to come uncontested, which made it hard for the Pistons to keep up.
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Blueprint Going Forward
In what was a potential NBA Finals preview, the San Antonio Spurs laid out a clear blueprint on how to beat the Pistons.
Preventing Cunningham from scoring the basketball leaves the Pistons with few other reliable options to get high-quality shots. This is a team that thrives on defense while allowing a bulk of the offensive responsibility to fall on the shoulders of Cunningham.
That strategy has worked against bottom-end Eastern Conference opposition, but against legitimate contenders, the Pistons have fallen short. Their woeful three-point shooting cost them a crucial win over the Spurs, but they will get a chance to avenge their defeat when they head to San Antonio on March 5th.
The Pistons’ attention now shifts to their highly anticipated matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder tomorrow night, as both No. 1 seeds face off on national television. San Antonio continues their East Coast road trip against the Raptors tomorrow, as they hope to shrink the two and a half game gap between them and the Thunder at the top of the West.
