Detroit Pistons: 3 goals for Christian Wood in 2020-21

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 18: Christian Wood #35 of the Detroit Pistons reacts after drawing a foul on a basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the first half at State Farm Arena on January 18, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

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Detroit Pistons, Christian Wood (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Christian Wood’s second goal: Improved late-game decision-making

Wood didn’t get a whole lot of clutch and late-game opportunity this season. He played in just 14 games that qualified as “clutch”, defined by the NBA as five minutes or less remaining and a margin of five points or less, and the Pistons went 2-12 in those games. The Pistons got run off the floor in his clutch minutes, getting outscored by 38.3 points per 100 possessions.

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This can’t be pinned on Wood, however. He never turned the ball over and with low usage (just 14.4 percent) he shot very well with an effective field goal percentage of 64.3. Of course, this small sample works out to just 8-of-14 from the floor and 2-of-5 from 3-point range, but the point remains: He was solid as a third or fourth option in the clutch, which is a role he will likely not play this year if he returned to the Detroit Pistons.

He’s going to have to know when to assert himself as a scoring option playing alongside Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose, and that improved playmaking we talked about is going to be a big factor. This season his responsibilities in the clutch consisted entirely of getting the ball very occasionally and shooting when that happens. In 2020-21, his newfound responsibilities will demand much more from him.

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