The Detroit Pistons are 3-0 for the season after another impressive win over an Eastern Conference rival. Going on the road to defeat one of the title favorites, the Philadelphia 76ers, after leading the whole way by double digits, surely sends a message to the rest of the league.
To make the win more impressive, the Pistons were without Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson. Duren will be sidelined for at least two weeks following the hamstring strain he suffered on Friday. Thompson should be back sooner, but he was still kept out of Sunday's outing with an ankle sprain.
But it didn't matter for the Pistons. We have grown accustomed to the Pistons' "next man up" mentality. Daniss Jenkins and Paul Reed entered the starting lineup, and the Pistons didn't miss a beat.
Unfortunately, Detroit's depth continues to get tested. In the first quarter of the Sixers clash, veteran shooting guard Isaiah Joe had a nasty fall after an emphatic dunk in transition. After landing on his back, Joe was slow to get up and hobbled to the bench. He was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game with a hip contusion.
Who will step up for the Pistons amid injuries?
In Joe's absence, the Pistons relied extensively on Jenkins, who played over 38 minutes. Kevin Huerter (26 minutes), Ron Holland (23), and Javonte Green (22) all played more than their usual share of minutes.
These are the moments teams build deep teams for. The Pistons entered the season believing that they have one of the deepest rosters in the league. Within the first week of the season, this belief is being tested.
How much time Joe misses remains to be seen. The Pistons have a back-to-back against the Knicks and the Hornets on Tuesday and Wednesday. He should be considered questionable at best for those two games.
If Ausar Thompson is still sidelined for those games, the Pistons will have to dig deeper into their roster. Does Ebuka Okorie, who had a brief 99-second cameo against the Sixers, finally get a chance? Is it time to give Chaz Lanier, who has been a healthy scratch all season, an opportunity?
This probably benefits the Pistons in the long run. Getting as many reserves a chance to play meaningful minutes against solid opposition will give Bickerstaff more optionality going forward. And it looks like the Pistons can find a way to win regardless of who is in the rotation, so let's see if that ends up being the case against the reigning champs on Tuesday.
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