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Detroit Pistons’ Chaz Lanier ‘Grateful’ To Have Shooters Around Him
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- Detroit Pistons’ Chaz Lanier ‘Grateful’ To Have Shooters Around Him
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
During the Detroit Pistons preseason opener on Monday night against the Phoenix Suns, the home squad made a familiar comeback in front of the Little Caesars Arena crowd to secure a last-second 109-107 victory , one that felt reminiscent of the 2025-26 campaign.
At halftime, the Pistons trailed by 18 points and needed to recommit defensively in order to track down the Suns possession by possession. Well, that's just what Detroit did as Ron Holland II helped lead the turnover-forcing charge with seven stocks (five steals and two blocks) to contribute towards the comeback.
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Eventually, Pistons rookie Ebuka Okorie had the rock near the logo at center court. The game was tied at 107 apiece when Okorie darted into the lane for a crafty left-handed scoop shot to win the game for Detroit by a razor-thin two-point margin, giving the Pistons their first victory of the preseason .
Okorie didn't get into the game until there was 10:05 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the former Stanford Cardinal was flanked by Holland, Chaz Lanier, Isaac Jones and Brice Williams for much of the Pistons final-frame comeback— a youthful group, which made Detroit's clutch victory all the more impressive.
As for Lanier, the Tennessee product is feeling a bit more comfortable in the league now that he's entered his second season. Lanier put together a strong shooting performance in the Summer League for the Pistons, and he's hoping to carry that rhythm into his second pro campaign for Detroit, though he had a slow start against the Suns.
On Monday night, Lanier had what would be considered an atypical performance for the sharp-shooting wing with a 1-for-4 showing from three-point land and a 50% mark from the free throw line while turning the ball over twice. But on the flip side, Lanier forced a pair of turnovers on his own and secured three boards (one offensive) on the night, so the preseason opener was a mixed bag for the 6-3, 208-pound guard.
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But in order to turn the corner in his development and become a regular member of the Pistons rotation, Lanier is relying on his Detroit veterans to set the tone so that he can learn what it takes to make an impact in the NBA.
"I'm surrounded by a lot of great shooters, so everyday we're shooting after practice, just challenging each other, getting each other better," Lanier said after practice Tuesday . "As a young player in this league, it's great to have those guys to lean on and pick their brains because they've been through it, been through the fire, so I'm super grateful to have them in my corner."
Lanier had an opportunity to study Duncan Robinson's shooting habits last year, but now the Pistons have several more 40% shooters from downtown on the roster to learn from, which has bred some healthy competition throughout training camp. Detroit ranked just No. 17 in terms of regular season three-point percentage a year ago, so Lanier and his cohorts are looking to make the Pistons a much more dangerous perimeter outfit this time around.
