The Detroit Pistons survived Game 5 and are headed to Orlando for a crucial Game 6 against the Orlando Magic. Despite the understandable disappointment of the fanbase, the Pistons still have a decent chance to win the series. A road win on Friday will swing all the momentum back to Detroit.
Obviously, Detroit's margin of error is small. JB Bickerstaff has to press the right buttons in Game 6. One of the most important decisions he will have to make will be about Daniss Jenkins.
Daniss Jenkins Will Be Pistons' X-Factor in Game 6
The Pistons began the playoffs with an 11-man rotation. Following the underwhelming performance of Ron Holland and the injury to Kevin Huerter, the Pistons played only nine players on Wednesday. The first player off the bench was Jenkins, and he will hold the key for the Pistons if they want to get out of this series.
On paper, Jenkins is in the midst of a disastrous series. His individual numbers are awful, and he put in another box score stinker in Game 5, finishing with 2/8 from the field and 0/5 from three on his way to six points and two assists in 16 minutes. For the series, he is averaging 4.8 points and 2.0 assists on 25.8% from the field and 11.8% from three in 14 minutes per game.
So, some would argue that Jenkins should not play. This would be a mistake. Jenkins' impact goes far beyond his individual stats.
Even when his shot isn't falling, Jenkins is a threat offensively. He needs to be guarded out there. More importantly, he can create advantages when he has the ball. Besides Cade Cunningham, he is the only Piston who can beat his defender one-on-one and create shots for himself and teammates. He is unpredictable on the ball and gives Detroit some pace in the halfcourt. He can push in transition and get the Pistons to run. Moreover, he gets some of the offensive burden off Cunningham.
Keeping Cade fresh for the end of the game will be important. He played 44 minutes in Game 5 and is averaging over 40 minutes per game in the playoffs. He is also leading the playoffs with a 36.1% usage rate. That is an unsustainable load for any player.
More Jenkins means fresher Cunningham. This could lead to fewer turnovers and higher efficiency. There is a reason the Pistons were +10 in Jenkins' 16 minutes on Wednesday.
Bickerstaff can't focus too much on Jenkins' individual production. The playoffs are about winning your minutes, and Jenkins gives the Pistons a better chance to do that than any bench player. Whether it comes at the expense of Duncan Robinson or Caris LeVert, it's time Jenkins sees an increased role for the Pistons to push the series to Game 7.
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