The Detroit Pistons have a massive game on Monday. Taking on the Cavaliers in Cleveland for Game 4, the Pistons have a chance to build a commanding 3-1 lead. Teams that go up 3-1 in a playoff series have gone on to won 95% of the time. Considering that two of the last three games would be in Detroit, the Pistons will love their odds.
However, the Cavs have yet to lose at home in the playoffs. The Pistons need to play better than they did in Game 3, especially in late-game execution. With a few minor tweaks, Detroit could give itself a real shot at a 3-1 lead.
1- Don't overreact to Game 3
The Pistons need to remember what makes them a special team and what brought them all the way here. They need to be who they are and stick to their game plan. For Detroit, that is playing with more physicality and intensity.
Once they do that, the Pistons will have the advantage over the Cavs. Detroit can't afford to overreact to Game 3 and change things up too dramatically. Despite the loss, the Pistons did enough to win Game 3, and if they play as well as they did on Saturday, they should have a solid shot at going home with a 3-1 lead.
If anything, the Pistons need to double down on their strengths rather than making big changes. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden got going in Game 3, but the Pistons have largely done a good job on the star backcourt duo.
Guarding them one-on-one and not being scared of switching onto them is working. At least the Cavs' role players and sharpshooters haven't gotten going yet thanks to this plan. Detroit needs to trust that Ausar Thompson and Cade Cunningham can win their individual matchups against Mitchell and Harden, respectively.
2- Get Cade Cunningham a few more minutes of rest
Cunningham turned the ball over three times in the final five minutes of Game 3. For the first time in these playoffs, the star guard looked tired down the stretch.
This is understandable as he has been carrying an unsustainably large offensive load while guarding Harden on the other end. He has played 42 minutes in each of the first two games before playing 39 minutes on Saturday.
It behooves JB Bickerstaff to find a few extra minutes of rest for Cade so that he can stay fresh at the end of the game. Another option would be to put Cunningham on one of the weaker offensive players on Cleveland so that he can do active rest during the game.
3- More Paul Reed
Jalen Duren remains ineffective, and Isaiah Stewart has been invisible offensively. In his first opportunity in this series, Paul Reed was able to demonstrate his ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
Stewart's rim protection is still important, and Duren gives the Pistons an offensive upside, so this isn't to say that either player needs to be out of the rotation. But it would be a mistake not to give some of their minutes to Reed.
Reed can finish around the basket, keep the ball moving by putting it on the floor or making another pass, rebound the ball, and guard multiple positions. He isn't the defender Stewart is, but he can stay in front of Cleveland's perimeter players. Unless he proves otherwise, he deserves a shot to see if he can help swing Game 3 with his energy.
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