Pistons: Grades for Jerami Grant’s first season as the No. 1 option
By Duncan Smith
Jerami Grant’s season highlights with the Pistons
Jerami Grant’s season got off to an exceptional start in his new home. After a fairly dreadful debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves where he scored just nine points, he ripped off a 14-game streak of 21-plus points and averaged 26.3 points per game over that span.
Grant’s faith in himself seemed justified, as did the faith of the Pistons’ front office.
From that point forward, it was a mixed bag with some periods of mediocrity, likely fueled by the wear and tear of being the leading man and opposing teams treating him that way, and the condensed schedule. When he was good over the final half of the season or so, however, he was exceptional.
He scored 32 points in back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Lakers (a double-overtime road loss) and a win over the Brooklyn Nets with a healthy James Harden and Kyrie Irving. He also dropped 43 points in a close loss against the Chicago Bulls in an impromptu road game that was planned with little notice after both teams had postponed games against scheduled opponents.
In all, Grant had nine games where he scored 30 or more points and provided sturdy defense when his shot simply wasn’t falling. He proved to be one of the best two-way forces the Pistons have had in years in his first season in Detroit.