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Detroit Pistons’ young bench has the talent for the postseason
While Detroit has a pretty clear hierarchy, with Cunningham, Duren, Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Ausar Thompson all starting, their bench, led by sharpshooter Malik Beasley, has been a pleasant surprise this season.
Against New Orleans, it was the youngsters who stepped up, and the Pistons are hoping they can continue to thrive well into the postseason.
“I was most appreciative of the guys that came off the bench and gave us that boost,” praised JB Bickerstaff after the game.
“Marcus Sasser has been through a lot with us, he’s had opportunities, he’s had moments where he hasn’t played, but every time he plays he puts himself in a position to help this team win basketball games, and I can’t tell you how difficult that is, but I can tell you what it means to us.”
In his second season, Sasser is playing a smaller role off the bench but has continued to improve as a shooter. He and Holland are starting to showcase their talents and potential as legitimate NBA players.
“I think Ron Holland was fabulous tonight,” Bickerstaff continued. “He kind of got the feel that we were a little bit in the mud ourselves and we couldn’t get ourselves going, and he took it upon himself to give us some life, some energy, I thought he was phenomenal on both ends of the floor.”
The Pistons, dating back to the “Bad Boys” of the 1980s, have always demanded a team-first mentality and prefer gritty plays who don’t mind doing the dirty work and playing physical basketball. Holland is only 19, but the fifth overall pick is excited to contribute to Detroit’s culture.
