Summer League can get sloppy. Tonight was an example of that. The game featured many turnovers, poor free-throw shooting, and bad transition defense. It's difficult to get anything from a game like this one. However, the front office saw these young players struggle in the first half and tighten up in the second. That's worth something.
Matas Buzelis and Ron Hollland Have Some Work to Do
The draw to this game was Ron Holland facing off against Matas Buzelis. Both had moments that looked good and bad. Holland had 17 points on 7-20 shooting. He shot 1-4 from beyond the arc and 2-6 from the free-throw line. He continued to try to use his athleticism, driving straight toward the rim. He puts the ball out in front of him and has it tipped away a lot. He settled in during the second half, focusing on defense and rebounding. He let the game come to him more on offense, finding open teammates. He had nine rebounds and three assists.
Buzelis has a better feel for the game than Holland. He sees the court well, gets in the right spot on defense, and handles the ball well. Buzelis just can't shoot. He shot 1-6 from three-point range. These two will draw comparisons throughout their careers, with similar body types and playing styles, and play in the same division.
Bobi Klintman and Dannis Jenkins Struggled
Bobi Klintman and Dannis Jenkins came back down to Earth in game three of the Summer League. Klintman didn't get as much opportunity on offense, scoring five points on 2-7 shooting. He did add 12 rebounds and three assists and played good defense.
Jenkins had five points on 1-7 shooting. He played so well in the first two games and was due for some struggles. The zone defense was particularly effective against him. Side note: Teams shouldn't play zone in the Summer League. Jenkins plays better in more free-flowing offenses. When his shot isn't falling, he becomes much easier to defend. When that happened, the Pistons lost a lot of rhythm on offense.
Marcus Sasser Played Well
Marcus Sasser had his first strong Summer League outing. There was no need to worry about him, but seeing him heat up and score relieved any lingering doubts. Sasser is a scorer. He struggles as the table setter and thrives in focusing on getting buckets. Sasser had 17 points and five steals. So, he played well on both ends of the floor. Good defense could help his case for playing time this season.
He should compete for minutes, and the current roster construction suggests that he could play as the backup point guard; however, he may start the season outside the rotation even if the Pistons don't add a point guard. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he plans to stagger Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, meaning Ivey should see some point guard minutes. So, unless he convinces the coaching staff that he can play the point effectively, the Pistons may start with a 9-man rotation.
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