Pistons’ Losing Stretch Driven By Turnovers, Point Guard Issues

The Detroit Pistons started the season with promise, holding a 7-8 record.

However, they have since hit a troubling skid, losing seven of their last nine games.

On Tuesday, they fell in a 128-107 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks during an in-season tournament clincher.

For the 17,988 fans in attendance, the loss was a gut punch.

Cade Cunningham led the team with 23 points, while Tobias Harris contributed 15 points and five rebounds.

Despite their efforts, defensive lapses and turnover struggles proved too much for the Pistons to overcome.

The Bucks sharp shooting exposed the Pistons ongoing struggles.

Detroit allowed Milwaukee to shoot 56% from three-point range (23/41) while committing 18 turnovers, four of which came from Cunningham.

This marked the 14th time in 20 games that Cunningham, entrusted as the teams primary ball-handler, has recorded four or more turnovers.

While some mistakes stem from his playmaking aggression, others are more concerning for a player expected to lead the teams offense.

It was more of the same for Detroit in Wednesdays 130-120 loss on the road to the Boston Celtics.

While Cunningham finished a rebound shy of a triple-double, he committed six of the teams 18 turnovers.

With a daunting month of basketball looming, is it time to reevaluate Cunninghams role? Without a true point guard on the roster, should the Pistons explore a trade or free-agent options to address this need? Pistons Losing Stretch Driven By Turnovers, Point Guard Issues Ball-Handling Issues Holding Back Pistons Potential The Pistons backcourt boasts immense talent, with Cunningham and Jaden Ivey capable of elevating the team to elite levels when both are in sync.

However, their ball-handling remains a glaring issue, limiting their consistency.

Detroit ranks 26th in the league in turnovers, averaging 16.6 per game, with Cunningham and Ivey accounting for 7.8 of those miscues.

Opposing teams have identified a clear game plan: apply pressure.

When pressed, both players tend to lose control of their handle or make rushed decisions, leading to costly turnovers.

This is particularly concerning given their high usage rates30.7% for Cunningham and 25.8% for Ivey.

High usage combined with frequent turnovers is a recipe for inefficiency, and for a team striving for success, this area requires immediate improvement.

The Pistons must address this issue as the season progresses, refining Cunningham and Iveys ball-handling skills and decision-making under pressure.

Without these adjustments, their immense potential could remain unfulfilled.

Should The Pistons Keep Cunningham As Their Point Guard? Cunninghams turnovers have raised questions about whether he is the Pistons long-term solution at point guard.

This concern is valid, as his struggles with ball security cant be ignored.

However, its also hard to overlook his exceptional playmaking abilityone of the primary responsibilities of a point guard.

Cunningham averages 9.1 assists per game, placing him third in the NBA.

His 182 total assists rank fifth, trailing only elite facilitators like Tyrese Haliburton and LeBron James .

For Cunningham to thrive in this role, the Pistons must continue to instill confidence in him, allowing him to grow through mistakes.

Turnovers, while frustrating, are an inherent risk for high-usage players in todays NBA.

Trae Young , for instance, leads the league in assists per game (12.0) but also is second in turnovers only averaging less than Cunningham (4.7 per game).

When a player is tasked with creating for both themselves and their teammates, mistakes are inevitable.

Cunninghams high usage rate means hell need to embrace the trial-and-error process, as this is often how elite playmakers refine their decision-making.

Should Pistons fans worry about his turnover numbers? Not necessarily.

Many of the leagues top point guardsYoung, Luka Doncic , and even James Harden rank among the highest in turnovers, yet their contributions far outweigh their mistakes.

As Cunningham continues to mature, his decision-making will improve, and with it, his ability to strike a balance between risk and reward.

Pistons Might Add Need To Add A Backup Point Guard Entering the season, the backup point guard role was a significant concern for the Pistons.

Head coach J.B.

Bickerstaff has done well to stagger Cunningham and Ivey as facilitators, but their struggles with ball-handling and decision-making have been hard to ignore.

Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon has shown a commitment to addressing roster weaknesses .

In the offseason, he bolstered the teams shooting by trading for Tim Hardaway Jr.

and signing Malik Beasley .

He also brought in Harris to address the power forward need.

Now, with the season underway, the backup point guard spot may emerge as the next priority.

The decision to make a move will depend on the Pistons trajectory.

If they remain competitive and hover around the ninth or 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, Langdon may seek a veteran playmaker to solidify the rotation.

But if the team struggles to stay in contention, the focus will likely shift toward developing younger players like Marcus Sasser for the role.

Whether through a trade or internal growth, help could soon be on the way for the Pistons backcourt.

The Last Word The Pistons season has highlighted both their potential and their flaws.

Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey anchor a talented backcourt, but turnovers and ball-handling remain hurdles.

With J.B.

Bickerstaffs rotations and Trajan Langdons proactive roster management, solutions are within reach.

Whether through adding a veteran point guard or trusting young players like Marcus Sasser to grow into the role, Detroit must find balance.

Their ability to address these challenges will determine if they secure a play-in spot or focus on long-term development.

The foundation is therethe next steps will define their season.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission..

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