Make it two straight games of starter Sekou for the Pistons, as they get past a scrappy Golden State Warriors side 111-104. With the win against Washington last week, Detroit has now beaten two straight teams in games they were favored to win. Although this may be too little too late in terms of this season, there were positives to take from tonight. Here are three observations from tonight’s victory.
#1- Sekou Belongs
After a surprising decision to start Sekou against the Clippers, Dwane Casey made it two straight starts for the 19-year-old wing. Against the Clippers, Doumbouya showed flashes of his tantalizing potential against stiff competition. With the 9-27 Warriors on the table for his next test, Sekou stepped up to the plate. In 38 minutes of action, the rookie notched his second career double-double with a 16-point, 10-rebound effort. Doumbouya went 4-7 from behind the long line and had a sequence in the second quarter that had Pistons fans drooling. You know you want to watch it again, it’s beautiful.
#2- No Third Quarter Curse
The Pistons have found themselves in multiple tight ball games going into the half this season. And nearly every time the third quarter is finished, the score is noticeably slanted towards the opposition. That was not the case tonight, as Detroit outscored Golden State 27-21 in the third. This was a stark contrast to the 37-16 drubbing they took against Los Angeles on Thursday. It was refreshing to see Detroit come out of the locker room for the second half and improve. Points go to Dwane Casey for reshuffling the lineup to start the third, as it helped provide a spark.
#3- It’s Fun When Shots Fall
Detroit ended the night shooting 51.8% from the floor on 43/83 shooting. Paired with an 11/27 effort from three, the Pistons put themselves in a good position to grab the victory with their strong shooting effort. In other earth shattering news, making over half your shots and shooting 40% from three is pretty good. It was nice to see the Pistons move the ball and hit shots. Special acknowledgment goes to Bruce Brown for his strong night at the point as well as Derrick Rose. Their movement with the ball helped set up good looks for Svi and Sekou all night.
(Featured Image: Neville E. Guard/USA TODAY Sports)
Palace of Pistons 