BBall Paul Reed becomes instant Pistons folk hero for Game 6 heroics vs. Cavs

The Detroit Pistons have grown accustomed to dealing with adversity in this year’s playoffs, so going down 3-2 in their Eastern Conference semifinal clash against the Cleveland Cavaliers was nothing new. After all, they went down 3-1 in their first-round series against the Orlando Magic and came back to win three straight. On Friday night, the Pistons, once again, played with the desperation level needed to save their season as they took a 115-94 victory in Game 6.

Cade Cunningham, as expected, did lead the team in scoring with 21 points. But the star of the show for the Pistons was their bench. Paul Reed, who’s become an indispensable player for Detroit amid Jalen Duren’s struggles, came off the bench to score 17 points in 16 minutes, providing a spark for the Pistons as they staved off elimination.

Reed was the third-string center for the Pistons all season, so for him to stay ready like this and take on a bigger role than he had in the regular season is a testament to the way he’s worked all year. He wasn’t even in the rotation for the first two games of the Cavs series, and now, he’s scored in double digits for four consecutive games, averaging 13.3 points since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The 26-year-old has always been a fan favorite for the way he brings energy to his every minute on the court. And he got plenty of praise on social media for showing up for the Pistons the way he did on Friday.

“Bball Paul is the real deal tho… 17 points in 17 minutes. Absolutely clutch to force a game 7,” X user @RedWingsEdits wrote.

“Think Paul Reed just earned himself a nice contract in the Pistons red, blue, and white tonight,” @BARRtimeanytime added.

“Paul Reed is the real MVP of the series,” @301mair furthered.

“My son or daughter will be named PAUL REED,” @killkozy exclaimed.

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