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Detroit Pistons: Quarterly Season Review

By Aaron Ferguson

Oct 30, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) puts his arm around forward Marcus Morris (13) during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win in overtime 98-94. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) puts his arm around forward Marcus Morris (13) during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win in overtime 98-94. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Small Forwards

The small forward position has been part of the wild card to the Pistons’ offense all season. Contributions from Marcus Morris, who was acquired in the offseason, and first-round draft pick Stanley Johnson have been shaky. One thing the Pistons are getting from the small forward position is good defense.

Morris was acquired by the Pistons from the Phoenix Suns for a future pick, and it has proven to be a great addition. He has proven to bring great energy on the defensive end. He averages 1.1 steals per game. He has 1.1 defensive win shares and a 1.0 DBPM. His 6-foot-9 frame and athleticism to get back in transition has proven to be effective.

Offensively, Morris has his good and bad games. He has scored double figures in 20 of his 25 games this season. He is averaging 4.3 points per game more in 2015 than he did last season with the Suns. Morris is shooting better from the free-throw line, making 76.8 percent of his free-throws.

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Johnson is the Pistons’ sixth man averaging 21.3 minutes per game, which is more than any other bench player. He is still trying to find his offensive game, however he has shown glimpses of the future. Johnson is averaging 8.0 points per game while shooting 37.5 percent from the field. He has a 13.3 turnover percentage, which is turnovers per 100 possessions, and also has a -3.5 OBPM.

Johnson’s defense, however, has been the strong point for his game. He has 0.7 defensive win shares. But there is much more room for improvement. When he has been matched up against the NBA’s elite talent, he has looked slow and has not had good reaction on defense.

Darrun Hilliard and Reggie Bullock have received minimal playing time this season. They have typically only played in blowouts, and haven’t had many meaningful minutes in a contested game. In fact, Hilliard has been spending time in the D-League with Dinwiddie.

The small forward position is causing the Pistons some problems. They have been good defensively, but haven’t always been efficient on offense. Johnson has a long way to go to develop his game, but Morris is going to hold down the fort until Johnson is ready.

Small Forward Grade:  C

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