The Detroit Pistons remain undefeated after a 128-111 road victory against the Miami Heat. Forward John Collins put together a strong bounce-back performance, leading all Pistons scorers with 23 points.
As the beginning of the regular season is underway, the Pistons are learning the strengths and needed development of their roster. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has shown he is willing to experiment deep through his lineup to find advantages. Collins elaborated on how dangerous Detroit's depth has been to start the season and how it can translate all year.
“We have true depth. Not only that, we have young legs, young hungry guys, older veterans who have seen a little bit more of the league. We have a nice balance of everything, led by our two top dogs in Deuce (Cade Cunningham) and big JD (Jalen Duren),” Collins explained. “We have a lot of different pieces. Ausar (Thompson) on the defensive end is a monster as well. A lot of different areas that we can attack offensively and defensively. I'm impressed with our depth, and we're going to continue to grow as well.”
It was an encouraging display for Detroit after a quiet Tuesday for Collins, who only scored six points in their 121-113 win over the Boston Celtics. Collins helped set the tone immediately against Miami with eleven first-quarter points. The newly acquired Piston found his groove from the 3-point range by knocking down five out of six attempts. He was efficient all around from the field too, connecting on 9-of-15 shots against the Heat.
Bickerstaff got creative with Collins in his lineup usage. Collins has shown the ability to flourish as Detroit's new stretch power forward, but he was also utilized in small-ball lineups as a center. This allowed the Pistons to run the floor with more speed and athleticism without sacrificing much size. Collins' 6-foot-9 frame with his above-the-rim skill set has been a beneficial wrinkle for Detroit when adjusting defensively and spreading the floor offensively.
The Pistons finished with six different scorers in double figures. The second unit also provided a huge spark by generating 64 points off the bench in the victory.
Backup center Paul Reed added a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Shooting guard Duncan Robinson continues his hot shooting start with 17 points and five made 3-pointers. Point guard Cade Cunningham finished the night with 16 points and eight assists. Backup point guard Daniss Jenkins totaled 15 points off the bench.
Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson suffered injuries
The Pistons did suffer two critical injuries on the way to their win. All-Star center Jalen Duren left the game in the second quarter after suffering a thigh injury to his right leg. After battling for a loose ball in the first half, Duren grabbed his leg immediately and hobbled off the floor. He remained in the locker room and never returned to the bench after the injury.
Forward Ausar Thompson also had to leave the game after a hard fall against Miami. Thompson suffered what looks like a back injury after chasing down a layup on defense in the middle of the third quarter. He also did not return to the bench after exiting the game from the fall.
Bickerstaff did not provide an update on the injuries after the game concluded. The Pistons are scheduled to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on the road this Sunday. The availability of the two foundation Pistons is unknown at this time.