The Detroit Pistons are currently in the midst of a brutal six-game stretch that didn't get off to a good start against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. The Pistons struggled to generate good looks and hit shots against the Victor Wembanyama-led defense, raising a few questions about the viability of their offense against playoff defenses.
Obviously, no other team has an all-time defender like Wembanyama, but Detroit's offensive struggles are well-documented at this point.
There is not enough shooting outside of Duncan Robinson and not enough shot creation outside of Cade Cunningham on this team. This reality is a key reason why the Pistons rank 18th in the NBA in half-court offense, per Cleaning the Glass. That is a concern, given that the game becomes bogged down to the half-court more in the playoffs.
One way head coach J.B. Bickerstaff can boost his team's half-court offensive rating is by playing more offense-first players. One player that comes to mind is Marcus Sasser, who has been out of the rotation for most of the season.
Marcus Sasser Could Provide Valuable Shooting, Playmaking for Pistons
Sasser became an afterthought in Detroit after the emergence of Daniss Jenkins and the arrival of Caris LeVert. Bickerstaff gravitates towards more physical and defense-oriented players, causing Sasser to fall out of favor. While this was understandable and necessary to build a strong defensive identity, the Pistons now need more shot creation and shot making: two things Sasser can certainly help with.
The third-year player has a track record as a solid shooter. A career 38.2% shooter from downtown, Sasser is making over 42% of his threes this season, albeit on low volume. More importantly, however, is his ability to shoot off-the-dribble threes. He can run the pick-and-roll and punish defenses that go under with his shooting. He also has enough passing instincts and ability that he can help generate decent looks against second units when Cade Cunningham is on the bench.
Sasser is one of the few quality shooters on this team. Gluing him to the bench when the team has shot 20% from downtown in two of their last five games and has been one of the worst shooting teams in the league all season is difficult to understand. The Pistons are in the bottom five in three-point frequency and bottom 10 in accuracy, a combination no other title contender has in the league.
Especially with how comfortable a lead the Pistons have at the top of the Eastern Conference, it behooves them to see if giving Sasser 15 minutes off the bench could help boost their offense. Whether Bickerstaff goes that route, however, remains to be seen.