Last Week: Orlando Magic 105-96, Beat Orlando Magic 106-93, Lost to New Orleans Pelicans 128-118, Lost to Sacramento Kings
This Week: 2/28 vs. New York Knicks, 3/2 at Toronto Raptors, 3/4 at New York Knicks
As the Detroit Pistons’ tank continues to roll down the line, there continue to be a few things to be positive about. While most tanking situations result in players failing to meet expectations, that is not the case for the Pistons.
The newest examples of young players popping off come with the two point guards thrust into a greater role this week. Delon Wright was ruled out due to injury for the next few weeks meaning Dennis Smith Jr. and two-way guard Saben Lee would be receiving the bulk of the point guard options.
One week in and that looks like a great thing for a team looking to build for the future. Smith looks increasingly more comfortable after essentially not playing basketball for the better part of a month and is showing defensive chops that he has not shown since his rookie season. He also showed flashes of athleticism that should earn him a roster spot somewhere next season.
Saben Lee has been a revelation. Marketed as a member of Troy Weaver’s “core four”, Lee showed just why the organization believes in him. The highlight was the 21-point performance against the Orlando Magic but it is more than that. Lee is a blur and already looks much more comfortable in the system than most two-way players would. This is another fun find for the team and the losses continue to pile up.