HAVOC: Why the Detroit Pistons Must UNLEASH Paul Reed as Their Defensive Game-Changer!

It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

This is Wes Goldberg from Lockdown NBA and Lockdown Heat with a message from Dell.

Dell PCs with Intel Insider are built for the moments that you plan for, and the ones

you don't.

The moments that you're working from a cafe and realize, every outlet's taken, or the

times that you're deep in your flow and can't be interrupted for an auto update.

That's why Dell builds tech that adapts to you, with long lasting battery and built

an intelligence that makes updates around your schedule, not in the middle of it.

Find technology built for the way you work at Dell.com slash XPS, built for you.

This is Nick Gangsta with the Lockdown Mavericks Podcast.

This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card.

I love that I can run up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase of my Apple Card, which

can be automatically sent to my high yield savings account through Apple Card right in the wallet

app.

With my iPhone, I can use Apple Card with Apple Pay basically everywhere I go.

You can apply for Apple Card too, right in the wallet app on your iPhone, subject to

credit approval, savings is available to Apple Card owner, subject to eligibility, savings

in Apple Card by Goldman Sachsbank, USA Salt Lake City Branch member FDIC, terms and more

at Apple Card.com.

This is Jake from Lockdown.

When the game's on the line, the best no way to pass, because the right assist can change

everything.

And off the court, it's no different.

That's where your state farm agent comes in, whether it's protecting your car, your home,

or helping you prep for the unexpected, they'll help set you up with a game plan that

works for you.

Like a good neighbor, state farm is there.

Covered options are selected by the customer, availability and eligibility vary by state.

The Detroit Pistons defense has fallen off and their best defender has hurt, so how can

they improve this?

Should they play Paul Reed some more?

We'll talk about in today's episode, Lockdown Pistons Podcast.

You are Lockdown Pistons.

Your daily Detroit Pistons podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team

every day.

What's the deal?

Welcome back to another episode of the Lockdown Pistons Podcast, for a usual IME

host, Ku Keel.

I've been covering the Detroit Pistons for the last four years for the Lockdown Network

by an credential media member now for the last three years.

And actually, I think we're coming up on five years next month if I remember correctly.

I appreciate all of your guys' support.

Thank you all who make Lockdown Pistons your first listen of every single day.

We're free and available on your podcast platforms if you haven't already.

Head to the YouTube channel at Lockdown Pistons.

Hit that subscribe button or leave us a five star review on whatever podcast platform

you're listening to.

This is another great way to support the podcast and today's episode is brought to you

by Fandall.

Fandall is giving you a way to turn that energy into an even bigger potential win with college

basketball, parley, profit, boost head to fandall.com to get started.

That's fandall.com.

Fandall play your game later on.

We will talk about where Kate Cunningham has to be better.

Kate is great.

He's going to be on the OMB first, he might think this year.

He's been incredible.

You guys know I love Kate, but Kate can be better too from what he's been over this

last stretch.

And some of the criticisms or some of the, you know, lack of belief in the Detroit Pistons

from those outside of Detroit and some of the national people has been that Detroit is

just a bunch of tryhards.

And this is coming back to bite them.

And I want to talk about is that true?

Are the Pistons just a bunch of tryhards?

We'll talk about that and what that even actually means coming up.

I do want to let you guys know on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well.

So tomorrow, when I'm recording on the corner Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1.30 p.m.

Eastern time.

We record the Lockdown Pistons squad show with Lindsey Hunter.

If you want to join the live show and ask him questions, I have an answer him live.

Go over to the Lockdown Pistons YouTube channel and be there at 1.30 p.m. Eastern time.

Let's go ahead and get into the episode.

So there's been a lot of talk.

We spent a lot of time in the last podcast talking about how the Detroit Pistons defense has

fallen off from where we saw it be throughout the entire year.

The Pistons had been the best defense in the NBA since the end of November.

It was the thunder for if you look at the whole season, but that's really carried by their

first month of the year.

They were insane the first month.

But since November, the Pistons had been the best defense in the league.

They had been incredible on the defensive and there was a little bit of a gap.

And that was what's carrying them to being this top team in the Eastern Conference, this

top team in the NBA for a little bit.

That's what was carrying them carrying them there.

It was their defense creating everything.

And over the last 10 games like we talked about in the last episode, that just simply has

not been the case.

The last 10 games go directly back to the very first game since all star break.

So since the all star break, they fall in awe.

We said the stats last episode.

I'll say it again for you guys over the last 10 games.

They have the 11th best net rating at 1 12.6.

That is a pretty deep downfall for the Pistons who were first in defense for a pretty

long time, even with their offense falling over, you know, their offense had been slowly

getting worse a little bit falling out of the top 10.

But the defense had maintained as one of two or three best defenses in the league, no

matter what stretch you went through.

And they fall into 11th over the last 10 games.

And we need to figure out how can they get that defense back?

How can they stabilize it?

Because we don't know how long a sore top is going to be out losing him.

Obviously, it hurts a lot.

Now, is there anything else that they can do to stabilize the defense to try to get some

of that back and kick it back into gear?

There's two ways that they can do it, I think.

We're going to talk about Paul Reed.

That's going to be the majority of this segment.

But the first thing I want to say that they could do is just be more consistent with their

effort.

Like, there's been stretches like in the second half against Orlando.

They were great defensively in the first half against Brooklyn.

They were great defensively.

They've been able to be that team that we've seen and like stretches, since they all star

break. But it's been nowhere near consistent.

The effort hasn't been nearly as consistent.

Even that fourth quarter against the calves, that fourth quarter against the calf, they

did a great job defensively.

But a lot of that was just a sore.

I think he had four or five steals in that quarter alone.

They have to, they've shown that they can still do it in stretches since they also break.

It just hasn't been consistent nearly enough.

But let's get to the main part.

It's Paul Reed.

Can Paul Reed help get the Pistons defense back on track and should JB Bigger staff be

looking for a way to get him into the rotation?

And for a long part of this season, I had been saying that yes, Paul is good enough

to get minutes on just about any NBA team, absolutely good enough and he's very good for

his role.

He's very good.

Now, I've said, despite that, it's just harder than you realize for a coach to be like,

okay, we're going to play three centers.

Like, I feel like this just hasn't actually been an opening for him.

That makes a lot of sense without really changing things up.

So I understood why JB Bigger staff had been choosing not to play him.

It's just harder to do.

I get it.

However, with the lack of defense recently, and I think most importantly, the lack of defensive

playmaking, it's something we've talked about a lot in this pocket, something I've really

referenced a ton, is that the Pistons weren't just like a steady, you know, competent defense

or really good defense because they were, you know, they're just in the right spots

at all the time.

You know, they put a hand up and make you take tough.

I like, it's not just that they're good team defense.

They're good at that.

But then they were also incredible defensive playmakers.

They, you hear about offensive playmakers, the Pistons were defensive playmakers.

They create plays with their defense for their offense, whether that be blocks, whether

that be passing lane steals, whether it be deflections, whatever it is, they make plays

on defense.

Now, I think that there's a few things that they're missing with a SAR out, but one of the things

I think you probably missed the most is the fact that he's one of the top guys in the

league and deflections, he gets a lot of steals, he generates a lot of transition offense

for the Pistons, which is why the Pistons offense has fallen off a little bit since he's been

out.

Who's another player on the team that does a great job of creating deflections?

Who creates havoc defensively?

Who makes plays?

Not just, you know, in the right spot, contest at the rim, get to defensive rebound and

let's them get back in offense.

Who creates havoc?

Who creates plays defensively?

Ron Holland does, and he's definitely someone that will rely upon.

Who else does it?

Maybe even better than Ron, to be honest.

Paul Reed.

Paul Reed, anytime he plays, he stuffs the box score, he stuffs the stat sheet with blocks,

with steals because he has some, when he comes out, we've talked about a lot, he has random

blitzes in the picker roll that he does and teams never see it coming and he forces steals.

He has very quick hands, so in the picker roll, even when in the drop coverage, if they

try to slip a bounce pass around him, he's very, or I guess in the gap between him and

his teammate, you guys know I'm from on the roll.

Quick hands, he's able to knock it loose, gets steals a lot.

He's able to play with his hands on drives against smaller and taller or bigger guys as

well.

He's able to make plays at the rim, incredible blocks, go back to the New York Nix game,

how he played against Chronith and he towns, how he was able to block him numerous times

at the rim and force or create transition opportunities for the Detroit Pistons.

He's very active on the offensive end of the floor, he actually can shoot a little bit

as well.

He's very good finisher around the basket, he's athletic, we all know Paul Reed is honestly

he's pretty good, like he's just good, he's a really good basketball player.

He's a stuck behind Stu and Durin, but I really think that I have changed my thinking

around this of, oh, they have three centers, you can't expect a coach to try to force three

centers.

This is too hard to do in a rotation, especially when you're trying to play all these

other guys.

I understood it.

I've changed that now.

The Pistons need defensive playmaking.

They need a guy who can come in and cause havoc and can help stabilize their defense,

especially when one or even both, to be honest, of their other big men are struggling

defensively.

Durin, I thought, is in the middle of his worst offensive stretch of the season by far,

I feel like, and even Stu, since coming back from his injury, I don't think has been

nearly as good defensively.

This last game against the, why am I already forgetting who they just lost to, that was

a really bad, Miami.

That last game gets Miami.

I thought he was one of the worst games I've seen Stu play defensively, and we expect

them to be better, but especially when you're missing us are, and your two big men are,

are not having their best moments defensively, not playing Paul Reed, I think, is a bit of

a mistake.

I do want to make it clear though, I'm not blaming JB for this stretch.

This falls into players.

The players are not playing well.

The players are not giving full effort.

They like are the most consistent, I would say, effort defensively.

I don't want to say full effort.

They are trying, but not consistent enough effort defensively.

I'm not blaming JB, but an adjustment I think he can make that will help stabilize

the defense is to now insert Paul Reed in the rotation to where he's legit playing 15

plus minutes off the bench.

The bench has not been good for the pistons as of late.

Cares is struggling.

He's been struggling all year really.

Danes is really struggling.

Javante has been very inconsistent over the last 10 to 15 games.

Kevin Herder has been, I think overall, probably a slight positive, but the lack of shooting

makes it hard to really appreciate all the other stuff he's able to do that we've

seen him do.

The bench has been struggling.

Paul reads the guy who can get it going.

He can absolutely, he only played five and a half minutes in a fourth court against Miami.

He had 10 points, five rebounds assist, two steals in a block.

Now I understand people are going to say that's garbage time.

Let's see what he does when he's not playing garbage time.

Well, it's not like we haven't seen what he's done in non-garbage time and games where

Stu or Durin were missed due to suspension for those six games he was able to play consistently

in the rotation.

This is the stat line that Paul reads able to do or put together.

It's not, I don't even, he puts some high scoring outputs in these games like 12, 12,

12, 22, 18, 15, 10, like he's consistent.

He's able to get plays or make plays at the rim offensively as well.

But what matters here again are these impact playmaking plays that he makes on the defensive

end of the floor against New York, a block in the seal against Charlotte, two blocks,

two steals against Toronto, four blocks, three steals against New York again.

Three blocks, one steal against Chicago, a block in the seal against the Spurs, two blocks,

one steal against OKC, four steals.

If he's playing at all in a game, he is going to make something happen defensively that

creates a transition or a fast break opportunity even in games where he barely plays.

He played eight minutes against Antonio was able to get a steal.

He played 10 minutes against Orlando was able to get a block.

He played 11 minutes against Cleveland was able to get a block like as long as he's touching

the floor.

He's doing something defensively.

He's going to create havoc for you defensively and the pistons.

I don't think they need to be trying to try to go full offense while they're dealing with

this injury with the SAR to try to balance out.

You know, we'll just go spacing defense is going to be tough.

I don't think that's what they should do at all.

Their defense is what got them here.

It's going to be what gets them through whatever they do the rest of the season in the playoffs.

They need to stabilize their defense is their only way to turn it around while they're

dealing with some injuries.

I think Paul Reed very much could do so and to wrap it up, I've been going along with

segments lately.

I apologize for that everybody, but I do I have to wrap it up with this year.

How do you make it happen with him in the rotation?

Obviously, I spent a lot of time talking about how good Paul is, but how do you make it

happen with the rotation?

I think what you do here, you have two options, I think.

You could move stew into the starting line bench to bias and then place do split some of

his minutes at the four and then let Paul Reed get a lot of minutes at the back of five.

I think that one's incredibly unlikely.

I highly doubt JB would ever consider benching to bias no matter what.

I don't think that one's likely, even though I think that one is the most cleanest way

to handle your rotation.

It's easy to do.

It gives two minutes at the four, start them there and then you just, it's cleaner to

do it.

It doesn't require a bunch of clever rotation stuff.

Outside of that, I think what is the more likely option that they can do?

I think you bench, Karris, and I think you probably take some of these minutes away from

Javante a little bit, maybe, and you play Paul with stew off the bench, either as a five

or four.

Both of them can play either one.

Just play him with stew off the bench, maybe even play him some minutes as well, staggering

with during as well.

He just takes up to minutes from Karris and the or Javante green and you play big for

a lot of the minutes that Tobias is on the floor.

You're not going with another wing type ish player.

You're going with another big.

You're going to be playing double bigs, a lot of those minutes that Tobias is on the floor.

And I think Paul Reed has played well enough and he brings what the team needs so much

right now that I think it ends up benefiting them because it helps them get out and transition

and fast break.

So that's how I think they can do it.

I think they should very much consider it.

And Paul Reed is good.

I mean, he deserves a play.

He's played too good for me to stay here and continue to say it's hard to give him minutes.

You want to play your best players.

I think Paul Reed is proven to legit maybe be one of the best eight at the very least nine

best players.

Let me know, comment section down below or over on Twitter at cook.

He'll do you guys agree.

So they should play Paul Reed.

And if you do, how do you think they should fit the rotation to get him some minutes?

Let me know a comment section down below or over on Twitter at cook.

You know, coming up.

I want to talk about where Kate Cunningham must be better for this team.

He's great.

I love Kate.

You guys know this.

But there's areas he needs to be better as well.

We'll talk about and break it down coming up today's episode is brought to you by game

time.

There's nothing like being in an NBA arena.

The crowd.

The energy.

The moment.

That part.

Excuse me.

Hasn't always been so simple.

That's why game time has become the go to app for scoring tickets fast without the hassle.

It puts the advantage back where it belongs with the fans pulled up the game time app a

few days ago.

To be honest, I was looking to go into a business game with some of my friends.

I picked it up.

Got great seats.

Last.

It was last minute.

It was the day of the day of the game.

You guys know that I'm a procrastinator, but I was able to find great seats.

I got the seat of view from the seat.

So I know what seat I was getting within the game time app.

I got a great price up front.

No additional fees at checkout that surprises me get price up front and a great last minute

deal.

Even though I was kind of pretty close to the start of the game, and that's my favorite

part about game time.

Even if I'm waiting to the last second, I can still get a great deal and some great

seats with game time.

So take the guesswork.

I'll buy an NBA ticket with game time down to game time app.

Create an account.

Use code locked on for $20 off your first purchase.

That's code.

L.O.C.K.E.D.

O.N. for $20 off your first purchase.

Download the game time app today.

And remember, it's gametime.co.

Not.com.

And use code L.O.C.K.E.D.

O.N. for $20 off your first purchase with game time.

This is Nick Gangsta with the Lockdown Mavericks podcast.

This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card.

I love that I can run up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase with my Apple Card,

which can be automatically sent to my high yield savings account through Apple Card right

in the wallet app.

With my iPhone, I can use Apple Card with Apple Pay basically everywhere I go.

You can apply for Apple Card too, right in the wallet app on your iPhone.

Subject your credit approval.

Savings is available to Apple Card owners, subject to eligibility.

Savings in Apple Card by Goldman Sachsbank, USA Salt Lake City Branch member FDIC, terms

and more at Applecard.com.

So I want to thank you guys again for making Lockdown Pistons.

You're a first list of every single day.

We're free and available on your podcast platforms.

If you haven't already had it to the YouTube channel at Lockdown Pistons, hit that subscribe

button or leave us a five star review on whatever podcast platform you're listening to

us on.

That's another great way to support the podcast.

Make sure you guys are checking out the Lockdown Pistons YouTube channel at 1.30 on Tuesday.

And Thursday, if you want to ask Lindsay Hunter live questions while we record our Lockdown

Pistons Squad Show.

And also, if you are interested in every day or club where you will get ad free listens

to Lockdown Pistons, you will also be able to join the Lockdown Pistons Discord server.

You can check out the link down below in the description to join the every day or club.

All right.

Let's talk about K-Cunningham.

Who?

I want to make it very clear before we talk about this because there's some.

It's it's few.

I want to make sure I'm hit I'm covering all my bases here.

I am one of Cade's biggest fans.

I have stuck by him for years.

I mean, I've been I think most people who have listened to this pocket for a long time.

No, I've been one of the biggest Cade believers fans, whatever you want to call it.

I am a huge fan of Cade's game.

I think he's tremendous.

I think he's going to be all in the first team guy.

I say all that to say or say that because.

A lot of times when you level out any kind of criticism or start talking about how a player

needs to be better, some people that like to immediately say, okay, well, you're just

a hater.

Why do you not like Cade or why do you not like X player or this player or whatever, whatever.

I want to just make sure everyone understands.

I am very much pro Cade and I have been one of his biggest believers since draft day.

I think he's been tremendous this year.

Absolutely amazing.

However, with that said, even players like Cade can be criticized and even players like Cade

need to be better at times.

And I think he needs to be better as of late.

Over the last five games, he's averaging 23.2 points a game on 51 true shooting.

Shooting 44% on twos.

He's only getting to the free throw line.

Three and a half times over the last 10 games.

He's at 54 true shooting at 25 points a game.

He's shooting 45% on twos and only getting to the free throw line still.

Three and a half times a game over the last 20 games.

55 true shooting 55.7 24 and a half points.

He's shooting 50% on twos and 78% from the free throw line on five attempts.

So the reason why I went back five, 10, 20 is that you'll see that the far that you go back,

things start to go up and the more you start to pull from the recent history,

the number starts to fall down.

Cade, I don't feel like has been playing his best basketball over the last 10 games.

And there's one particular area in which is really standing out that I think is it's

going to be a tricky thing for him.

I think it's something he's going to consistently battle with throughout his career.

I know it's something that he the coaching staff, the, you know, everyone has paid attention

to have tried to and they've made progress here 100% they've made a lot of progress.

But I think it's something that because of the way Cade likes to play, it's something I feel like he's

always going to be in this like tug and pull situation where there's times where maybe he's

going to drift over and he's going to have to come back and then drift over and then come back.

Like it's, I think it's something he's always going to have to deal with throughout his career,

because it's because of the way he plays and it's his shot selection inside the three point line.

I, I guess we're starting to trend here recently on the podcast of start with something positive

and then negative. So I'll start with something positive.

He is taking more threes the last 10 games.

He's taken 7.33 is a game.

He's shooting 42 and a half percent on these.

He's hitting a lot of pull up threes.

You guys know that's something I've been begging for him to put a lot more into a shot diet.

Take a lot more pull up threes and you're shooting as well as he is on pull up threes.

You need to get more of them up.

It forces the defense to guard you a different way.

It opens up your half court offense.

It makes some of the looks that you want to get to in the inside the three point mark.

A lot more easier for you to get to.

You need to take up a lot and it results in you being a lot more efficient, which is big for the pistons.

So I like that he's taking more threes, but I honestly, if he's going to shoot this well on him, he should take more.

And the main reason why I say that is because his shot selection within the three point arc has been very questionable over the last 10 games.

I will.

I don't I will for the most part put to the side the spurs games because when B is when B and he does this to a lot like almost everybody.

Tough to deal with when B though, I don't want to completely disregard it against when B, because at the end of the day, this is his competition.

This is who we're going to be seeing the pistons go against.

If they if we eventually want to see the pistons win the championship, it is possible that they would maybe at one time, the next five to seven years,

maybe meet when B in the playoffs, like in the finals, like, I'm going to disregard it somewhat because I know when B is an alien, but I don't want to completely dismiss it because at the end of the day, this, these are players he's going to have to succeed against doesn't mean he has to be perfect immediately.

He's still young.

He's so I mean, not saying has to be perfect, but you guys get what I'm saying.

So we moving to not me paying attention with those games, Cade, the biggest struggle he's going to have or he's had is being efficient and the team needs to be efficient.

That is where he levels himself up to being face of the NBA type player.

That's where he gets into the STA, the Yokech conversations when he becomes more efficient of a player, he has struggled with efficiency throughout his career.

He's at 56.1 true shooting on the season, that's slightly below league average this year.

If he can become a more efficient basketball player, he will become one of those type of guys.

He's already great, but if he wants to reach that next level, he has to become more efficient and starts with improving his two point percentage and taking better shots.

He struggles to finish at the room at times, which we know that we know that he blows some bunnies a little more than we'd like to see.

We know that the spacing also has a little bit of a to do with that because it creates a lot of tough looks around the room.

I'm not throwing that out the window. I'm aware of that as well, but he also blows a bit of bunnies at the room that you would not like to see him blow as much.

I'm more concerned with the amount of mid-range shots he's taking.

Why I'm more focused on that is, when Cage's solution to some of these defenses is relying on step back middies, it's incredibly tough diet to survive on.

It's not that you don't want people taking middies. It's not that mid-range is the devil. That's not what it is.

Cage is good enough at mid-range jump shots, pull-up jump shots, that you want him to take pull-up jump shots when they're there in the mid-range.

They want to play drop coverage and he snakes to the high post and so pull-up jumper, taking every, like, not saying Cage should not take mid-range jumpers.

But what Cage falls into trouble with, which he has, I think, a lot in the last ten games, which is why his two point percentages, really an unacceptable 45%.

Having that bad on two pointers is pretty awful, let's just be real. It's pretty bad to shoot that bad on two pointers for any type of stretch like that on any kind of decent sample size.

It's not the mid-range that I'm talking about where he snakes a pick and roll, gets to the high post air, gets to his spot and they're playing drop, he gets a clean look.

It's the ones when he's dealing with physicality and defenders wall off his initial drive.

His next two off, he's improved at this a little bit where he tries to get to the rim still and bully through a user's size.

And he's gotten more efficient because of that. He's much more efficient than he was a few years ago.

But a lot of times still, you'll see him start to settle for just step back middies over a tough contest.

And can he hit that shot? He can hit it. Is it something that you want him going to repeatedly?

No, it's something he can hit at the end of a shot clock. If it's, you know, it's tough, the offensive has been going.

He's a tough shot maker. He's able to hit that every now and then. That's the great thing about Kate.

But having that be like a main part of your shot diet is going to result in very inefficient play.

And that is why Kate hasn't been able to become such an efficient player.

He's shooting so well on threes this on pull up threes this year.

Now, if you're shooting much better from the beginning of the year on catching shoot threes, he would be probably helping around like 37, 38% from three somewhere around there.

And that would then have in of itself improve his efficiency.

The finishing at the room has to improve. We're going to continue to talk about that for like I've talked about that for years with him.

It's gone slightly better each year.

The finishing at the room has to improve.

But the main thing is he has to be better with this shot selection inside the three point line.

If he can improve that and turn some of these long middies, he's done this a good job.

He's done like I want to make it clear. He's done a good job of it from where he was.

I'm not saying at all that he hasn't already tried to work on this.

He's talked. He's answered a question for me after a game.

Tell him about how he's working on this. He's working on this mental part.

I believe it was last year and we saw it start to change.

But like I said, because Kate is a player who is able to hit these mid-range shots because he's a player who feels comfortable taking these shots and feels like he can hit them for good reason because he can.

When things get tough, there are times in which he ends up falling back on it too much.

And that's how you end up with games where he shoots 10 of 26 from the field.

That's how you end up with games where he shoots 4 of 16 from the field.

That's how you end up with games where he shoots 5 of 26 at the field from the field.

Like this last game against the Spurs. He shot 4 of 7 from 3.

They were giving him the pull-up 3. He was taking it. He made 4 of them.

Incredibly efficient on it. But he was 6 of 19 on 2s.

Bad shot selection for a lot of them.

I know Wembee had a lot to do with the shots at the rim.

But also he was settling for a lot of tough contested pull-ups over Stefan Castle.

You even go to the Miami game. He hits 6 of 9 3s against Miami.

It ended up being a really efficient game.

Despite the fact that he shot 3 of 9 from 2s because he relied heavy volume on his 3 shot that was going.

That's why I'd love to see him do. But again, even against the Miami Heat,

he took a lot of middies in that game and not allowed them were open against Cleveland.

He was 4 of 13 on 2s.

A lot of his struggles, a lot of the games where he just has terrible efficiency.

It's because he relies on a very tough shot diet when things start to get tough at times.

I think the team can do a better job of trying to scheme up easier looks for him.

I don't think we've really seen a K post up like designed to get him closer to the rim

and let him just operate get to his hook shot in a pretty long time.

I think that could open things up for him a little bit as well.

He's great in that short mid-range area when you get to a float or a hook shot that he's really good with.

So they could try to scheme him up a little better and nights like that when he's struggling.

The game cleaner looks.

But that is the next step for K's. He has to be more efficient.

He just has to be. That's what the superstars at the top of the game.

That's what that's their calling card. That's what they all do.

Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency.

And that's what translates to winning. That's what translates to winning championship.

You don't see any efficient players win championships.

You don't see any efficient teams win championships.

And that's why Kade is still trying to get to that upper spot when it comes to efficiency.

I think that's just the main thing I'd like to see him improve upon moving on.

It's going to be something he deals with the rest of his career.

Like I said, he's really good at it.

So he wants to rely on it.

I understand that.

But settling for tough shots and just puts you in a bad position.

It puts him in a bad position too often.

Lastly, I'll end it with this.

Kade, his season long true shooting percentage is always so much of it is taint because Kade's.

Kade's floor as a scorer is much lower than all the other superstars I'd say.

Kade can hit some heights.

He has a high ceiling with his scoring outputs and how efficient he can be.

He has a high ceiling. He can score go crazy.

We saw the next game.

But like these other guys, they have like a floor of how bad they can really get.

Cage floor is much lower because of what I was just mentioning.

Like he has games where he will just shoot five or 26.

He'll have a game when he shoots 10 of 27.

He'll have a game where he shoots seven of 26.

Like he has games like those because he sells for a lot of tough shots at times.

So I think that's the main thing he has to improve upon.

You've seen it a lot recently.

Let me know in the comment section down below or over on twitter at kookahill.

How you guys feel about this?

You guys agree? Disagree?

All of that jazz.

I'm coming up.

Aren't there Detroit pistons just a bunch of tryhards?

That's a very common phrase you're hearing from a lot of people outside of Detroit that they're just a bunch of tryhards.

You can't take them serious.

Is there any truth to that?

I want to talk about it coming up.

It's tax time.

But for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is a lot.

Trying to book an appointment that's not the most convenient sitting in a waiting room with a stack of papers,

emailing back and forth wondering if they really get your situation.

But this year you're getting a major upgrade into it.

TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide.

You can meet face to face with a real tax expert and your documents get upload straight to your TurboTax app on the spot.

Just like that, you're done.

Your TurboTax expert works to get you every dollar you deserve while you get real time notifications as you go about your day.

It's the relief of walking in and meeting a real person and working out and walking out, excuse me, knowing your taxes are being handled right.

Head to TurboTax.com slash local to find a store near you and book your appointment again at TurboTax.com slash local.

And I've got to tell you guys about another one of our sponsors.

This one is Fandall College Basketball is non-stop.

Big games, tight spreads, momentum swings, every single night.

From early tip-offs to late night, West Coast shootouts.

There's always action on the board.

And now Fandall is giving you a way to turn that energy into an even bigger potential win with a college basketball parlay profit boost.

You can build any college hoops parlay you want, rivalry games, ranked matchups, whatever fits your read.

There you can apply the profit boost and instantly bump up the potential payout.

Look at odds around your team.

If they are in season, go save, go bold.

Right with the team you've been following all season.

It's your parlay, your style.

Now with more upside behind it.

Head to Fandall.com to get started today.

That's Fandall.com.

Fandall, play your game.

So I want to thank you guys again.

Make it locked on Pistons.

You're first listened every single day.

We're free to vote on your podcast platforms.

If you haven't already, head to the YouTube channel at Lockdown Pistons.

Hit that subscribe button or leave us a five-star review on whatever podcast platform you're listening to us on.

There's another great way to support the podcast.

Over this stretch that Detroit Pistons have struggled and not looked like themselves.

One of the most common sentiments I'm seeing.

Some people who were just skeptical of the Pistons from the get-go to be honest.

There was a lot of people that have been skeptical of them all year.

Despite what their record is, despite how they, you know, whatever it is.

Despite them having the one seat for the majority of the year.

Despite the long win streak.

Whatever it is.

There's been a lot of people that just been skeptical about Detroit.

It's because of their offense because they don't have the most talented offensive team.

And now that they're struggling, a common sentiment I'm seeing is,

well, yeah, you can't just try hard your way all the way through the finish line.

Like they're just try hard. They play harder than people to take it too serious.

And they'll win games because of that.

I want to talk about whether there's some truth to that statement.

I think that there is some truth to it.

But I think it's also not completely true.

I think it's a disrespectful way to describe this Pistons theme.

I think it's a backhanded way of saying,

we don't think you guys are very good.

I think that's basically what it means.

We don't think you're actually a good team.

You guys are just trying hard and everyone else.

We're not actually trying every word to try.

We kill you guys.

That's how it reached to me.

But I do think that there is some truth to the idea that the Pistons are try hard.

It's like their way of succeeding is winning all the hustle, hustle steps.

They outrebound you.

They turn you over.

They like to run.

They're going to pressure you.

They're going to be physical like all of that stuff is true.

That's that is what they rely upon.

That is their identity.

Their identity is a physical defensive team.

And some may describe that as being a try hard team.

So is that true?

Yeah.

That part is true.

I don't deny that.

I don't think it should necessarily be viewed as this as this negative.

That some people try to paint it out to be.

But sure.

Is part of their identity being try hard?

100%.

They do get full effort.

I don't really understand why that's viewed as like a.

Oh, they give effort every night.

Who does that?

Like I thought we were playing basketball.

I thought, you know, this is.

When I go play basketball every time I play pickle, I'm not out there throwing.

Like I.

I don't know.

Maybe I'm just too competitive.

I play video games.

Any game I play.

It doesn't matter if it's Uno, chess or graders.

It doesn't matter what.

Madden.

I want to win everything I'm playing.

So I'm trying.

I don't just go out and start throwing, but I must be confused.

Maybe some people go out there and just throw.

Maybe they just throw games.

We have a bunch of zazazs out there.

My Marvel rifles players.

You guys will get that reference.

Shout out Captain America.

Anyways.

I don't view it as that big of a negative.

And the reason why I disagree with it being like their entire personality is.

And what you really just paint the team is in general.

As like this backhand and compliment.

I was like, oh, yeah, that's just a try hard team.

Is that I think a lot of people, especially nationally.

And I think there's a lot of like of the casual base.

That believes this that I just completely disagree with in that.

Defense is just a hustle thing.

Defense is just a try hard thing.

You'd be good, but you're on good on defense by just try harding.

That's the furthest thing from the truth.

One of the I've grown up playing basketball my entire life.

I played through high school.

I did not end up playing in college.

Though I went to Wayne State and practice with the team a little bit freshman year.

I was going to try out.

But then college became too expensive.

I just dropped out completely back to the matter of the reason why I bring all that up.

I've played my whole life.

I love basketball.

I'm pretty good at it.

I've talked about basketball for a long time.

I analyze again.

I think pretty well.

One of the most annoying of all the cliches out of all the common phrases that you hear around basketball.

Whether it be coaches, ex coaches, older people, whatever it is.

The most annoying one I hated when I was younger.

I hate now, but I really started to hate when I was younger was when defense is all effort.

If you just try on defense, you'll be a good defender.

That is the biggest load of BS ever.

Could you try and make you at least like a decent team defender?

Will you at least be someone who's giving?

Yes, there's positive to just at least giving effort.

But does effort does not just make you a good defender.

Defense isn't just about good defense or about giving full effort.

Defense is a talent.

Being good on defense is a talent.

That is part of what makes someone a talented basketball player.

Talented basketball players are not just guys who are able to tween tween hazy pull up.

That is not just that is not what talent is.

That's not the only thing that you should look at when it comes to talent.

And I think something that I think something that backs us up.

Honestly, look at what Kenny Atkinson said a few days ago about Derek White.

I don't believe his statement to that strong, strong of a degree.

I mean, he was calling Derek White almost a top five basketball player.

I think that's pretty strong, but like his overall sentiment, listen to what he said.

And that is the prime example of I think a lot of people misconstruing what talent is.

Talent is not just hazy, hazy tween pull up.

It's not just what's in your bag.

That is not what talent is, especially in the year of 2026.

Teams are smarter, guys are better.

Talent is everything that goes into the game of basketball, processing, decision making.

That is a talent.

Making the right reads consistently, knowing where to be.

Being able to shuffle your feet laterally quicker than your opponent.

Being able to rotate at the right time and read the play faster than they can.

Being able to challenge shots at the rim, utilize timing, timing your, your, your rim protection reps, timing your passing lane steals.

All of this stuff is part of talent.

Guys can't just try hard their way to a good defense.

That's not how it works.

The reason why I went on this long rant is that people say that they describe the distance as try hard as a way to say they're not talented.

Where I completely disagree, this is a talented distance team.

They're just not talented in the way people think they are.

They are a talented defensive team.

At least they have been throughout the year.

Last 10 games, not so much.

But that's a smaller sample size.

We have 40 some odd games to go off of.

Their ability to throw as many guys at you defensively.

They're all our impact defenders for the most part.

Again, removing the last 10 games.

There are all impact defenders that all are processing game as fast as they are defensively.

They are all able to keep their man in front of you as often as they do.

Their ability to read the defense.

Read the offense.

See a play one.

See the play a play in a head.

Be in the right spots.

That all that stuff is not just something everyone can do from just trying hard.

People are just most of the time just born with that ability to play defense better than anyone else.

It's a slice of your length.

Your wings, your wings, all plays a part of it.

But that is a talent.

Assar isn't a great defender just because he tried hard.

Like he's one of the more talented defenders we've seen.

Javante Green isn't just a good defender because he tried hard.

He is a try hard.

But he's also a talented defender.

He's a smart defender.

He's a high processing defender.

Same thing with Stu.

Same thing with Cade.

Like go through the Paul Reed.

All these guys.

Quick hands.

That's a talent.

Being able to play two on one in the pick and roll.

Being able to keep the defender in front of you.

And also no wind exactly to back up.

To take away the lob.

But no exactly what angle to be at.

To take away the lip.

Like that's all a talent.

And the pisses have multiple guys who are very talented at this.

So that's why I take the most disrespect to just saying the pisses are try hards.

Because the insidient weights that defense is something that you can just try hard at.

And you'll be good defender.

That's not the case.

And I've hated that my whole life around basketball.

That is not true.

I have played with a lot of really good players.

I've played with a few D1 guys.

I've played with a few.

Quite a few D2 guys.

I've even played.

Heck.

I've played against Romeo Weems.

And a few other guys who went through the G league had a chance in the NBA.

And didn't play.

Simply just trying hard would not have made them all good defenders.

I know some guys who are really talented.

That I don't think they just didn't try defensively.

I think they just suck.

They just suck on defense.

They're not fast.

They're not able to move laterally.

They watch the ball.

They're not their technique is terrible.

They don't know where to be.

Just try.

Being a try hard does not make you good at defense.

It's a very, very annoying thing for me.

It's one of the things I hate the most.

So are the Detroit Pissons try hards?

Yes.

They are also talented.

Also, like they don't just lack all offense or offense all offensive talent.

They have a sword or sword was a top five pick.

Okay.

Like they have high pedigree guys.

Jalen Durham was a lottery pick.

Cade was a first overall pick.

It's not like these are a bunch of second.

They only have second round and undrafted guys out here.

Ron Holland was a lottery pick.

Like their main guys are high pedigree players.

So that was my quick rant.

Yes, the Pissons are try hards.

They're also talented.

Just not the way people are accustomed to.

And most people just don't like defense.

So they just chuck it up too.

Oh, you just play harder than us.

No, not really.

We're just more talented.

You defensively.

There's my rant.

I went on much longer than I thought I would.

Thank you guys for making lactone pissant your first listen every single day.

Free and available on all your podcast platforms.

If you haven't ready, hit that subscribe button to YouTube channel.

Leave us a five star if you would ever podcast.

Plac me listening to this on.

Until next time, actually.

Before we wrap up the podcast, great example.

Just popped in my head.

Luca Garza.

We saw him.

For a bit.

With the Pissons.

Luca Garza.

For a bit.

For a bit.

With the Pissons.

Luca played as hard as he possibly could.

He just was not going to be a good defender because he's not a good defender.

It's not because he doesn't try.

It's not because he doesn't give effort.

Marvin Bagley, another one.

Played hard.

Wasn't because he did play hard or lacked effort.

He just wasn't.

They're just not good defenders.

They're not talented on defense.

Thank you guys for making lactone pissant your first listen every single day.

Hit that subscribe button.

Leave us a five star if you would ever podcast.

Plac me listening to this on.

Until next time.

I'll see you guys later.

Defense is a skill.

I'll catch you guys later.

You're juggling a lot.

But you can still squeeze in a financial plan.

With the Northwestern Mutual Financial Advisor as your partner.

It's not only possible.

It's personalized.

So if you're tying the knot.

Closing on a house.

Or welcoming a little one.

You'll be ready for whatever life tosses your way.

It's the right time to feel less stressed.

And more certain.

That's a better way to money.

Let's get started at nm.com.

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Exfinity tech support.

How can I help?

I can't get Jurassic Park back online without.

Oh, you just need Xfinity.

Plug in your gateway and you're good.

All set.

Luckily, Xfinity has reliable self-healing Wi-Fi that keeps you safe from threats.

Wow.

You can even boost speeds to your most important devices.

Get reliable Wi-Fi at one price for five years.

Guaranteed.

Exfinity.

Imagine that.

Watch Jurassic Park with Xfinity.

Restrictions apply. Select plans only.

This episode is brought to you by Marvel Television's Daredevil.

Born again, season two.

Streaming March 24th on Disney Plus.

Charlie Cox and Vincent Denofrio are back.

And Kristen Ritter makes her highly anticipated return as Jessica Jones in an all-new season.

As Mayor Fist tightens his grip on New York City.

He marks Daredevil as his top target.

Matt Murdoch fights from the shadows,

hoping to bring down Fist corrupt empire and reclaim his city.

Don't miss Daredevil born again, season two.

Streaming March 24th only on Disney Plus.