Before the game, the Detroit Pistons had bad news to share — Jaden Ivey will miss at least a month after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure in his right knee.
Their final preseason game — a win at Little Caesars Arena — previewed how they’ll adapt to life without the guard. They routed the Washington Wizards, 119-98, on Thursday, Oct. 16, to finish preseason with a 2-2 overall record. They now will get ready for to the regular season, which tips off on the road against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday (8 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit).
Cade Cunningham remained hot, finishing with 16 points, 12 assists, a pair of steals and a block in 24 minutes. Jalen Duren also dominated with 20 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals. They set the tone early, leading the Pistons to a 39-23 lead early in the second quarter.
CJ McCollum (17 points) led the Wizards with four 3-pointers in the third quarter to briefly take the lead, 70-69. The Pistons answered with consecutive 3s – one from Cunningham and two from Duncan Robinson (10 points) – to regain the lead for good. They shot 53.6% overall and held the Wizards to 36.8%.
Daniss Jenkins reached double figures with 11 points and three assists, and Paul Reed also had 11 points. Tobias Harris and rookie wing Chaz Lanier each had nine points and four assists. Ausar Thompson tallied eight points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block.
Bickerstaff splits up Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson
Last season, the coaching staff staggered Ivey and Cunningham so that at least one of them was on the floor at all times. With Ivey slated to miss at least a month, Thompson has taken over his role as the secondary ballhandler.
After being subbed out early, Thompson checked back in for Cunningham with 4:34 left in the opening quarter. He wasn’t solely responsible for creating plays, though — Jenkins checked in a minute later and made an immediate impact. Thompson and Jenkins controlled the tempo of the game until Cunningham checked back in for Jenkins at the 7:23 mark of the second.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the game that multiple players will handle playmaking responsibilities until Ivey returns. But Thompson will be in a featured role, as he has been through all four preseason games.
Two-big lineup returns
Bickerstaff teased during training camp that, after mostly being on hiatus for a year, the two-big lineup with Duren and Isaiah Stewart would return. It did indeed, briefly in the first quarter, when Stewart checked in at the 8:13 mark to join Duren, Cunningham and Robinson. Duren and Cunningham checked out together with 4:34 left in the period, and Stewart remained in before Paul Reed replaced him with 1:35 on the clock.
Stewart is taking 3-pointers again and it looks as though he’ll spend time as both backup power forward and center this season. He has been the preferred center whenever Thompson and Ron Holland share the floor, due to his ability to shoot, and he provides needed size at the four when Tobias Harris sits.
The two-big combination won’t be an every-night option, but it will help the Pistons against the league’s bigger starting fives including two teams in their division, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Daniss Jenkins continues to shine
When called upon, the point guard on a two-way contract has been ready. After starting Tuesday’s loss to the Cavaliers, Jenkins checked in during the first quarter against the Wizards. His presence was felt immediately, as he knocked down a midrange jumper, converted a tough layup through contact from McCollum and recorded a steal and assist to Reed, all in the final three minutes of the quarter.
It was another efficient night for Jenkins, who knocked down four of his seven shot attempts after going 5-for-6 from the floor for 19 points two days prior. He has expressed confidence in being ready for an opportunity coming off of promising Summer League and preseason stints, and so has Bickerstaff. With Ivey out, it could be Jenkins’ opportunity prove he’s an NBA-caliber guard.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons get strong work from Daniss Jenkins in preseason win
