The Detroit Pistons offseason was crammed with a number of eye-opening signings together with the deal to convey long-time Miami Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson to the Motor City.
With April lastly upon us, the time is now and Detroit is about to discover out if their offseason gamble was well worth the wager, or if he’ll change into one other mediocre signing that the staff has rising regrets about as time goes on.
Pistons want Duncan Robinson’s taking pictures within the playoffs
Obviously, Robinson’s calling card comes on the offensive aspect of the ball, the place the Michigan product thrives as a three-point weapon that may not solely put strain on opposing staff’s along with his catch-and-shoot skill, however his skill to transfer away from the ball.
The former Wolverine has proven flashes of his knock-down taking pictures all season lengthy, averaging 12.0 factors on the season, whereas taking pictures 44.7% from discipline objective vary and 40.7% from past the arc.
Robinson has been a valuable shooter for Detroit, and his back-door screens has quietly been one other weapon from his arsenal that he is constantly impressed with.
Still, the postseason is a totally different beast than the common season, and as we have seen throughout his tenure in Miami, Robinson has loads of playoff expertise beneath his belt. He’s had playoff success taking pictures the ball within the 70 video games he is performed, hitting 40 % of his 3-point makes an attempt, however he was additionally run off the ground at occasions.
If Detroit hopes to make a deep postseason run, they will want Robinson to embrace the strengths that earned him a profitable cope with the Pistons, moderately than the shortcomings that resulted in him falling out of the rotation at occasions for the Heat.
Robinson has to cover his defensive lapses with sharpshooting
The 31-year-old could also be among the best shooters within the league, however his popularity as a defender definitely is not among the many finest within the league.
Robinson is typically focused by opposing groups due to his defensive struggles, and its confirmed to be a difficulty in previous years, particularly when head coach Erik Spoelstra was compelled to restrict his minutes in opposition to the Boston Celtics in years previous after the staff repeatedly exploited mismatches.
Detroit may have to anticipate opposing groups to proceed that recreation plan, but when Robinson can persistently make groups pay on the offensive finish, it can make Coach of the Year candidate J.B. Bickerstaff ‘s job a lot simpler.
That job will embody discovering favorable matchups for Robinson and discovering methods to cover him on the protection finish.
