by Mike Whitaker
DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons know that in order to qualify for a second
consecutive playoff berth, starting games on time is paramount to that success. And by their own admission, the first three quarters of tonight’s pre-season tilt against the Cleveland Cavaliers were the exact opposite of their goal.
Even so, the team rebounded with a strong fourth quarter to earn a 109-105 victory over Cleveland. But there was no post-game celebration from the coaching staff or players.
“We’ve got to have a better representation of how we want to play,” a visibly frustrated head coach Dwane Casey said afterwards. “Their guards dictated both ends of the floor and we couldn’t get open offensively and couldn’t stop them defensively.”
Detroit trailed by seven, ten and twelve points respectively after the first three quarters of play, but were able to hold Cleveland to only 15 points in the fourth as they completed the come from behind win.
Detroit’s starting trio of Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson and Bruce Brown all put up 15 points for Detroit, who improved to 2-1 in the pre-season. Collin Sexton led Cleveland with 24 points, while Tristan Thompson added 15.
The game was also the final home dress rehearsal before the start of the regular season on October 24, and several players continue to make their case to have a solidified position on the team. Veteran Joe Johnson and first-year player Christian Wood are among those jockeying for spots, and Casey acknowledged their efforts.
“Everybody that played tonight made a strong case,” he said. “They all
competed and played well, and those are decisions that upstairs (management) will have to make, but I liked the group out there tonight.”
“We shouldn’t wait until we get smacked upside the head to start playing,” Casey said.
