Pistons’ offseason gamble on Duncan Robinson is about to hit a major test
The Detroit Pistons offseason was full of a number of eye-opening signings together with the deal to deliver 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 definitely worth the guess, or if he’ll turn 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 facet 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 means, however his means 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 subject purpose vary and 40.7% from past the arc.
Robinson has been a valuable shooter for Detroit, and his back-door screens have 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 underneath 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 instances.
If Detroit hopes to make a deep postseason run, they will want Robinson to embrace the strengths that earned him a profitable take care of the Pistons, reasonably than the shortcomings that resulted in him falling out of the rotation at instances for the Heat.
Robinson has to cover his defensive lapses with sharpshooting
The 31-year-old could also be the most effective shooters within the league, however his popularity as a defender actually is not among the many finest within the league.
Robinson is typically focused by opposing groups due to his defensive struggles, and his confirmed to be a difficulty in previous years, particularly when head coach Erik Spoelstra was pressured to restrict his minutes in opposition to the Boston Celtics in previous years after the staff repeatedly exploited mismatches.
Detroit can have to anticipate opposing groups to proceed that recreation plan, but when Robinson can constantly make groups pay on the offensive finish, it should make Coach of the Year candidate JB 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.
