The Pistons just stopped playing defense.
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the year hoping to build on a 51-win campaign in their first season with Donovan Mitchell, but the club’s embarrassing first round playoff exit to the New York Knicks was still fresh in the collective mind. Cleveland addressed its need for shooting help on the wing in free agency, but there was suddenly real pressure to win with rumors around Mitchell’s possible eventual departure accelerating whatever timeline the Cavs were operating on.
The Cavs picked up a much-needed win over the lowly Detroit Pistons, 108-100, on Friday night to even their record to .500.
The Pistons have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA during their 2-11 start, and they showed it during one sequence on Friday night. As Evan Mobley pushed the ball up the floor, he quickly realized no one on Detroit was picking him up, and coasted in for the easiest dunk you will ever see. Watch the play here:
Detroit had four defenders back, and none of them thought to stop the ball. Stopping ball in transition is a basic fundamental principle of the game, and seeing NBA players struggle with it so much is legitimately stunning.
Evan Mobley won’t score an easier two points all season. I’m not sure any player will. The Pistons were hoping to take a step forward in their long-term rebuild this year, but it’s not happening so far because of too many instances like Mobley’s easy dunk.
