The Detroit Pistons were one of the deepest rosters in the league all season. It was one of the team's biggest strengths as they clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Head coach JB Bickerstaff was running an 11-man rotation when everyone was healthy. This worked perfectly during the regular season, but it was never going to work in the playoffs. As the rotations tighten, certain players were bound to be squeezed.
Through the first two games of the season, Ron Holland seems to be the odd man out. The second-year player had already seen his minutes reduced in Detroit's Game 1 loss against the Magic, playing only 11 minutes. In the second game of the series, Holland didn't see the court in the second half until the garbage time. He played seven minutes, scoring zero points on 0/1 shooting from the field.
Ron Holland's Second Season Is Trending in the Wrong Direction
This is hardly surprising. If you asked Pistons fans before the playoffs who they expected to fall out of the rotation, Holland would have been a popular answer. The 20-year-old forward brings defensive intensity and athleticism on the wing, but is a big offensive liability. He failed to take a step forward on that end of the floor this season, making it hard for Bickerstaff to trust him.
The problem for Holland so far in the playoffs has been his lack of impact on the defensive side of the ball. His tendency to get in foul trouble was on full display as he picked up two quick fouls in six minutes in the first half. During his minutes in the first half, the Magic had a 107.7 offensive rating, compared to only 83.8 for the whole game.
Holland was pulled from the game by Bickerstaff when Jalen Suggs hit a 3-pointer in his face in the second quarter. Holland was giving Suggs space behind the 3-point line and didn't move when Suggs received a pass, allowing the guard to drain a shot over him. Bickerstaff never went back to him until the game was already out of hand.
Defense is Holland's calling card. If he is going to get minutes, it will be because of his ability to wreak havoc, force turnovers, and guard multiple positions. If he isn't doing that, it's not surprising that he would be glued to the bench.
Javonte Green was the main beneficiary of Holland's absence from the rotation in the second half. The veteran forward was impressive defensively and played a team-best 23 minutes off the bench. As the more experienced player with a better jump shot, Green is a better fit for this team in the playoffs.
It's hard to see how Holland will be able to take his rotation spot back, especially if the Pistons look like they did in the second half on Wednesday night.
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