Hits and Flops: Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons
In a game which saw Andre Drummond leaving the floor having played just above 7 minutes, Blake Griffin and the Pistons held on in his absence to clinch an impressive and tight 98-93 win at home. Drummond suffered a nasal injury after he was hit in the face by James Johnson's hand, and will be evaluated Saturday for a nasal contusion.
Also, Pistons' guard Ish Smith(who was playing in his third game after missing 19) left due to abductor tightness. This resilient victory over the visiting Miami Heat takes Detroit's record to 20-24(0.455) on the season, still 12.5 games below the East-leading Bucks. After having lost four in a row, the Pistons have bounced back to win three out of their last four matchups.
On the other hand, the Heat rest at the 7th position out East - two spots above the Pistons - currently holding a 21-22(0.488) after their most recent loss in Detroit. The Heat have been winning and dropping a couple in alternate fashion for the past eight games, this defeat being their second straight loss.
Let's take a look at the best and worst performances from this Pistons-Heat matchup.
Hit: Luke Kennard
This was Luke's third straight 10+ point game, as he played 34 minutes on a reserve role and finished with 22 points against the Heat. Although Kennard is averaging single digits in scoring across his first couple of seasons, he shot an impressive 8-of-17 from the floor and made four of his eight long-range attempts on the night.
"You get open shots when you play hard, when you play fast," Kennard said. "I think that has been helping me out a little bit."
Luke Kennard dropped a career-high 28 points against Philly(he played 37 minutes in that game) last month, and the sophomore has been trying to make a place for him on the Pistons bench ever since.
It goes to show that the talent that Kennard possesses is productive enough to tip the balance of the game if given adequate court time by first-year Coach Dwane Casey.