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3 Takeaways From Detroit Pistons Preseason Win Over Toronto Raptors
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- 3 Takeaways From Detroit Pistons Preseason Win Over Toronto Raptors
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
In their preseason finale on Friday night, the Detroit Pistons had another nail-biting finish that required an Ebuka Okorie-led finish to seal a 129-125 victory over the Toronto Raptors . With that win in the books, the Pistons exited the exhibition slate with a .750 record at 3-1, and Okorie put the finishing touches on two of those victories.
As Detroit flows ahead into the regular season, there were several standout aspects of the Pistons preseason that should generate some excitement around the 2026-27 campaign. There's an influx of new talent on the squad that has impressed during the four-game preseason, so it will be intriguing to see how head coach J.B. Bickerstaff makes it all fit together.
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1. Ausar's Offensive Leap Could Be Real
The most impactful aspect from the preseason could be how often the Pistons used Ausar Thompson in an on-ball format. While Thompson has shown playmaking qualities in his first three seasons, the defensive ace has lacked the fine-tuned consistency required to take the heat of Cade Cunningham, but that concept has had a resurrection as of late .
This year, Thompson looks more assertive as a decision maker with the ball in his hands, which could help curb his turnovers when running the show. However, the fourth-year wing's jump shot looks smoother and more reputable, and the emergence of a reliable mid-range would completely unlock Thompson's offensive potential.
2. It'll Be Difficult To Keep Ebuka Okorie Off The Floor
During his first preseason in the NBA, Ebuka Okorie had the good fortune of operating as Detroit's primary facilitator down the stretch for multiple preseason games. Not only did Okorie look every bit the speedy self-creator that he was billed as, but he also seemed poised with the game hanging in the balance .
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The former Stanford point guard sunk a deft lefty scoop shot to win the Pistons' preseason opener, then he engineered a timely late-game surge to ensure a victory in their preseason finale against the Raptors. In all, Okorie has strong rim-finishing instincts in the lane, and he seems ahead of schedule already, which should lead to a healthy dose of playing time right off the bat.
3. John Collins Continues To Open Up Possibilities
The more that John Collins plays in a Pistons uniform, the more it looks like he can contribute in unique ways compared to how the power forward position in Motown has operated previously. With a reliable perimeter jumper and out-of-the-gym leaping ability, Collins offers two polar opposite dynamics at the four. Whether by alley-oop or corner triple, Collins should help open up the Detroit playbook as another weapon for Cunningham to utilize.
Once Jalen Duren made his return to the lineup, the All-Star center was even involved in screen-setting situations with Collins, which is a layer that never popped up during Pistons games the last two seasons with Tobias Harris in town. So, expect for Detroit to be creative with their offensive sets in the early portion of the season as they continue to experiment with new ways to utilize Collins' skill set.
