Can't Stop Winning, Daniss Jenkins, and Jaden Ivey's Return | The Weekly Drive
Maybe the Pistons solved their backup point guard problem?
Have the Pistons lost since the last Weekly Drive? No? Am I reading that correct?
Yes, I am.
Oh, and good afternoon. Let’s get into how the Eastern Conference’s leading team remained in that place for another full week.
Game Recaps
Game 11: Washington 135, Detroit 137
Rapid Reaction: Daniss Jenkins, take a bow. While Cade Cunningham had a monster game (46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals), Jenkins (24 points) hit a game-tying three to force overtime. The Pistons seemed dead in the water, trailing by nine points with just over four minutes to go. And then, they weren’t.
Game 12: Chicago 113, Detroit 124
Rapid Reaction: Paul Reed, take a bow. The Pistons were undermanned, missing Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, and Ausar Thompson, but still found a way to win. Reed (28 points, 13 rebounds) and Jenkins (18 points, 12 assists) paced Detroit, but Duncan Robinson (23 points) has slowly found his rhythm too.
Game 13: Philadelphia 105, Detroit 114
Rapid Reaction: Inarguably the best win of the season so far, with several Pistons backups stepping up in big ways. Javonte Green had 21 points, Jenkins scored 19, and Caris LeVert added 14 on a very efficient shooting performance. A total team effort, and another NBA Cup victory.
Game 14: Indiana 112, Detroit 127
Rapid Reaction: Make it ten in a row for the Pistons, their longest winning streak since 2008. Jalen Duren had a huge game (31 points, 15 rebounds) and should firmly be in the driver’s seat for Most Improved Player of the Year, Jenkins added 23 points and should have his two-way converted to a standard contract, and Green continues to be an asset (20 points). The Pacers are terrible this season, which is why it should not be surprising that Detroit won, but its how they won.
The Jaden Ivey Update
The moment we have been waiting for: an update from the Pistons on Jaden Ivey. The team announced that Ivey has been assigned to the Motor City Cruise (G League affiliate of the Pistons) as he continues to his return to play process.
That’s a huge step for Ivey, who had surgery on his knee just prior to the start of the season. A few days ago he was on the court getting some shots up, so this update is not too terribly surprising. Its not clear if Ivey is going to be playing in any G League games, but he will at least be with the team practicing and getting up to game speed. While the Pistons have looked exceptional even without the former fifth-overall pick, the team could certainly use his playmaking and speed to help keep opposing offenses on high(er) alert.
News and Notes
The legend of Daniss Jenkins got some national attention, as he was nominated for NBA Player of the Week last week. His teammate got it the week before, you may have heard of him.
Cade is getting a signature shoe from Nike, due for release in 2027. Oh, and he also is really glad he didn’t get drafted to Cleveland.
Just after the release of last Monday’s Weekly Drive, the Pistons announced they signed Wendell Moore Jr. to a two-way contract and waived Colby Jones.
How far can this winning streak stretch? The Pistons’ next game, tonight against Atlanta, will be a challenging one even without Trae Young. Its a second half of a back-to-back, the Hawks have a budding star in Jalen Johnson, and are playing solid basketball as well. Let’s see what happens as the Pistons face a smidge of adversity.
See you all next week.
Mike