The Detroit Pistons came away with a huge win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night for their third straight victory without Cade Cunningham. Not missing a beat without their superstar guard, the Pistons extended their lead over the No. 2 Boston Celtics to five games with only 11 games left in the regular season. This should give them enough breathing room until the playoffs, but the Pistons still have a few questions they need to answer before the postseason.
Ron Holland Remains a Big Question for Pistons in the Final Stretch
A big one of those is regarding Ron Holland. The second-year forward struggled immensely against Luka Doncic and the Lakers last night, showing some of his weaknesses that may plague the Pistons in April and May. In the first half, Holland committed three fouls in less than two minutes, including falling for Doncic's foul-baiting on a three-point jumper. He helped put the Pistons over the foul limit and allowed the Lakers to get to the free-throw line.
In the second half, JB Bickerstaff gave Holland three more minutes of action, but the 20-year-old forward wasn't able to make an impact. He finished the game with two points on 1/5 shooting from the field and -6 in five minutes. This was Holland's lowest minutes total for the season.
Not every opponent has Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James, who can exploit Holland's inexperience. But there are plenty of savvy, dynamic offensive players who Holland will be tasked with guarding in the Eastern Conference. James Harden, Jalen Brunson, and Jaylen Brown will all present similar challenges for Holland.
Considering the lack of offensive improvement from Holland this season, it's imperative that he is a quality option as a defensive stopper. Holland creates all sorts of issues offensively due to his inability to shoot or score in the half-court. He is shooting 22.6% from downtown, his efficiency has gone down compared to his rookie season, and he has more turnovers than assists for the season. As a result, the Pistons have a miserable 113.2 offensive rating with him on the court, which would rank 25th in the NBA, per Cleaning the Glass. Detroit is 3.5 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor than off for the season.
Holland is a very talented defensive player. He is a good transition player, and has enough athletic and physical tools that is worth investing in. But, he can't have games like the one he had against the Lakers. He needs to be a defensive difference-maker night in and night out to earn his minutes. Otherwise, his spot in the rotation will be in jeopardy as we head to the playoffs.