Detroit Pistons: Top 3 individual performances from the 2018-19 NBA season

Detroit got swept by the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.
Detroit got swept by the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.

After missing the postseason by just one spot in the year prior, the Pistons edged past their opponents this year around to bag the last playoff berth there was, with an even 41-41(0.500) win-loss record. Entering murky waters as an unimpressive eighth seed, Griffin and his squad were matched up against the mighty Bucks in the first round. It wasn't much of a battle, and eventually, Milwaukee got rid of the ailing Detroit side in just four games to advance to the East semis.

Led by an All-Star in Blake Griffin who kept posting career-high numbers on a nightly basis, there was no chance of his team was going past the No. 1 seed, with him injured and cheering from the sidelines.

More often than not, the team seemed like an unsolvable mess, with Griffin carrying the scoring responsibilities on almost every night. The system was not sustainable, and the uneven work distribution was exposed when their superstar went missing.

Nevertheless, the players did present a few notable performances throughout the 2018-19 campaign and let's take a look at the three most impressive ones.


#3 Reggie Jackson's valiant 32-point effort in win over Atlanta Hawks

Reggie was the 24th overall pick by OKC back in 2011.
Reggie was the 24th overall pick by OKC back in 2011.

The Pistons flew into Atalanta en-route to their playoff push after having won four of the last five games. Griffin was ejected in the third quarter (which was questioned by players and coaching staff alike) following two technical fouls, and Coach Casey was faced with the unpleasant job to look for efficient scoring options from the roster.

The 29-year-old point guard stepped up for a team-high and season-high total of 32 points (15 of which he scored in the second quarter alone) against the Hawks to steal a 125-122 win on the road.

Jackson shot a decent 12-of-22 (54.5%) from the field, along with 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Considering the fact that he had not been able to cross the 20 point mark in the previous 5 games, this was a much-needed effort from Reggie Jackson.

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#2 Andre Drummond dominates with a season-high score along with characteristic rebounding prowess against the Wizards

Drummond led the league in rebounds per game this year.
Drummond led the league in rebounds per game this year.

Known league-wide for his authoritative presence on the boards, Drummond did not disappoint when the Wizards came visiting in mid-February. He led his team in both scoring and rebounds on this given night and made sure to take the excess load off his All-Star power forward.

Drummond played 36 minutes and chipped in a season-high total of 32 points along with 17 rebounds(5 on the offensive glass), 4 steals and 1 block. He shot a blazing 63% from the field and made eight free-throws during his impressive run. Andre's rebounding numbers came as no surprise, as he led the league with a mammoth 15.6 rebounds per game this past season.

Even though the Wizards were without John Wall and Dwight Howard, the Drummond-led Pistons made sure to snap their two-game winning streak via a 121-112 win in style.

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#1 Blake Griffin shows why he's a leader in respectable loss to the Thunder

Blake Griffin averaged a career-high 24.5 ppg this season.
Blake Griffin averaged a career-high 24.5 ppg this season.

There is no doubt about the fact that Griffin had been the one great force all season long that every team had to go through in order to beat Detroit. He didn't make it easy for the hosts at Oklahoma City before bowing out for a 110-123 loss on the road.

Blake went into Stephen-Curry-mode and shot an amazing 9-of-14(64%) from beyond the arc and finished with a season-high 45 points against the OKC defense. He shot better from the three-point line(64%) than he did from the field (11-of-20 for 55%), and put on a show in April as the end of the regular season approached.

On top of the fireworks from deep, the 6-time All-Star went to the foul line 16 times during the game and made 14 of those. He also had 7 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals to go along with the rest of the carnage.

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