In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs while committing just eight turnovers. The Detroit Pistons should have been taking notes.
Detroit struggled with ball security all season, ranking 23rd in the league with an average of over 15 turnovers per game. The issue intensified in the playoffs, where that number rose to 16 right when protecting possession becomes essential for survival.
The Pistons learned this lesson the hard way, and it ended their shot at reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. Turnovers are particularly costly for a team that had difficulty scoring in half-court sets during the postseason and relied on winning the possession battle.
This season, the Knicks ranked 5th in the NBA in fewest turnovers per game, while the Spurs ranked 7th. Add the top three teams Boston, Oklahoma City, and Denver and you have most of the squads viewed as legitimate title contenders entering the playoffs.
Clearly, valuing possession matters, especially in the playoffs when defenses are more engaged, intense, and physical.
It’s equally clear that if the Pistons want to keep advancing in the postseason, they need to address this issue.
Detroit needs more ball-handlers
I’m tired of repeating this, but yes, the Pistons desperately need additional players who can handle the ball reliably.
Every member of the Knicks’ starting five can competently dribble and create something in a tight spot. New York also brought four guards off the bench, all capable of handling the ball without frequent turnovers.
The Spurs committed 13 turnovers last night, but they too have reliable ball-handlers throughout their roster.
Detroit really only has two: Cade Cunningham and Daniss Jenkins.
Cunningham turned the ball over often in the playoffs, and some of that can likely be attributed to fatigue after carrying the team on his back while playing through a recently collapsed lung and broken rib.
Excuses aside, Cade simply needs to improve his ball security—but the Pistons also need to get him some support.
Detroit has too many players who are negative ball-handlers, constantly at risk of turning it over (Duren, Stewart, Holland, Green, LeVert), or unable to dribble or pass their way out of trouble. Other Pistons like Duncan Robinson and Tobias Harris don’t give the ball away much, but they also pose little threat to create anything with it.
Perhaps improved ball-handling will come from a more developed Ausar Thompson, but Detroit can’t rely on him alone. The NBA Finals are demonstrating that handling playoff defensive pressure without turning the ball over is a critical skill.
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