There were a lot of problems for the Detroit Pistons in their season opener against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night. Foul trouble for Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham, the inability to grab a defensive rebound in the first half, and letting Nikola Vucevic be very comfortable all game were major issues. Yet, none were as important as the Pistons' lack of three-point shooting.
Detroit got up 24 three-pointers against the Bulls, making seven. For reference, the league average after two days of action is 35.6 three-point attempts per game. The Pistons themselves got up over 35 threes per game last season. A lot of this was obviously on the backs of Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. The two veteran sharpshooters were taking over 15 threes per game, and in the first game of the season, the Pistons looked like they had no idea how to replace those shots.
Pistons Must Find a Way to Get More 3-Pointers Up
The issue is that Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert, who were brought in to replace the two sharpshooters, don't have the three-point shooting volume Beasley and THJ had. A lot of ink gets spilled over three-point shooting percentage, but being able to get up threes remains an underrated aspect of the game.
Almost as important as making a shot is taking one. With how well defenses guard the three-point line now, it is hard to generate good looks and take open shots. To be able to get these shots, you need to come out of screens with pace and intentionality, have a quick release and a high release point, and maintain the stamina and willingness to keep moving off the ball. Being this type of an off-ball threat is what unlocks the rest of the offense. Every team needs players with off-ball gravity who throw off the balance of the defense, which in turn makes things easier for your ball-handlers.
Cade Cunningham, going 8-for-24 from the field, will catch the attention of many fans after Wednesday night. But it would be unfair to look at that without the context. When the Pistons don't have enough shooting threats on the court, the defenses pack the paint, making it harder for Cunningham to get to his spots or the rim.
J.B. Bickerstaff needs to find ways to get more shooting on the court, whether it's by playing Chaz Lanier and Daniss Jenkins more or getting Isaiah Stewart to be more aggressive from downtown. The Pistons have to be more intentional about getting more threes up; otherwise, it will be a long season on the offensive side of the ball.