Why Jaden Ivey’s latest outing was an important milestone for Pistons

The Detroit Pistons knew it was going to beryllium a slow ramp up trying to get Jaden Ivey back to wherever he was playing earlier his season-ending wounded successful January.

An extra arthroscopic procedure to relieve knee discomfort pushed that timeline backmost an other month.

But nan erstwhile lottery prime yet seems to beryllium hitting an important period successful his progression arsenic he played a season-high 29 minutes for Detroit successful its loss to nan Los Angeles Clippers Sunday night.

Not conscionable nan infinitesimal full was different arsenic Ivey, who’s playing conscionable nether 16 minutes a night, was connected nan tribunal for nan full 4th quarter. Ivey hadn’t played successful nan 4th fourth astatine each since Dec. 15 and it was conscionable nan ninth clip this play he’s been put successful during nan last play astatine all.

Part of that could’ve fallen connected nan Pistons trailing by 23 points going into nan 4th fourth and coach J.B. Bickerstaff needing personification to ignite nan offense.

But Bickerstaff sewage a bully 2nd half retired of Ivey — scoring 10 of his 11 points — and liked really he was meshing pinch his teammates.

“I thought he was helping us. I thought he was playing well, I didn’t want to disrupt that pinch nan minutes aliases whatever,” Bickerstaff said postgame. “So I wanted to springiness him an opportunity to get retired location and compete because I thought he was pinch immoderate groups that were making immoderate hay. Just wanted to make judge that he felt nan spot and nan assurance that we person successful him erstwhile we were put successful that position.”

While it wasn’t an businesslike night, pinch Ivey finishing 2-of-10 from nan field, he’s really starting to showcase nan athleticism that was helping him break done past play pre-injury.

Over nan first 3 games of Detroit’s agelong West Coast trip, Ivey was averaging 10 points and 2.7 assists, shooting 66.7% from nan section and 75% from three-point range. He did each that successful conscionable complete 15 minutes a nighttime and only had 1 turnover crossed each 3 games.

Ivey has nan difficult occupation of trying to beryllium much accordant and a quality shaper connected nan court, while having constricted minutes to do truthful pinch his teammates.

Forward Isaiah Stewart believes Ivey “has different cogwheel to footwear into” conscionable for illustration what he proved successful 30 games past season, averaging 17.6 points and 4 assists per game.

The Pistons request much thief from nan defender spot, incredibly evident connected Sunday erstwhile Cade Cunningham had a scoreless first half and each Detroit’s constricted discourtesy ran done nan post. Ivey continuing to get amended and much reliable playing pinch and without nan prima defender is going to beryllium a awesome boon to creating a playoff-ready rotation.

But, crucially, nan spot and assurance Bickerstaff and Detroit’s players person preached successful Ivey whitethorn yet commencement to construe connected nan tribunal if he is getting to play deeper into games much often.

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Jacob Richman is simply a sports newsman for MLive.com and covers pro and assemblage teams crossed Michigan. Before joining MLive, Jacob covered assemblage sports successful Texas astatine LoneStarLive.com pinch a attraction connected Texas A&M and...