Kofi Inkoom
Coach Monty Williams secured his first win as head coach of the Detroit Pistons when his team defeated the Charlotte Hornets 111-99 on the road.
Leading up to the start of the 2023-24 season, the Pistons had grappled with turnover problems, which were evident in their initial two games against Miami and Charlotte.
Coach Monty addressed these turnover issues as reported by Omari Sankofa:
“The carryover from the first game is playing loosely and giving away possessions. This hindered us in both games.” He added that opposing teams were applying physical defense, requiring the Pistons to adapt, which took time“
In their game against the Miami Heat, the Pistons lost a contest they could have won, primarily due to their struggles with ball control.
Out of their 16 turnovers, 10 occurred in the first quarter. Despite a comeback from a 19-point deficit, they fell short in a one-point loss.
Friday’s game against Hornets saw an even worse performance in terms of turnovers, although they managed to secure a victory this time.
The Pistons nearly matched their turnover count from Wednesday with 15 in the first half, many of which were preventable, including sloppy passes, questionable rim challenges, and traveling violations.
Detroit’s high turnover rate in the first quarter allowed the Hornets to stay in the game. Although Charlotte struggled with a 7-for-22 field goal shooting, the Pistons’ strong defense limited them.
The Pistons, on the other hand, shot 12-of-21, resulting in a 32-21 lead at the end of the quarter.
However, the nine turnovers handed nine points to the Hornets, keeping them in contention despite the difference in field goal percentage.
The Detroit Pistons are determined to make necessary adjustments as the season progresses.
They are set to face the Chicago Bulls on their home court as they continue their 2023-24 NBA campaign.
Starting lineup for Pistons tonight :
– Ausar Thompson
– Isaiah Stewart
– Jalen Duren
– Killian Hayes
– Cade Cunningham