DETROIT -- There has been a slow build-up to it, but Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant is showing why the Detroit Pistons want him to be their guy. The eighth-year forward continued where he left off a season ago to help the Pistons to a 112-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
Grant looked solid in the Pistons’ (2-2) preseason finale and showed the confidence that head coach Dwane Casey has talked about throughout training camp. He ended the night with 24 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and made 10 of his 12 shot attempts from the line.
He worked himself into a groove early in Friday night’s action and looked comfortable driving into the paint. Just over seven minutes into the first quarter Grant posted up Furkan Korkmaz before spinning around and slamming the ball down on the 76ers’ (2-2) head.
He wasn’t done because just over a minute later, he dribbled along the perimeter keeping an eye on Paul Reed before hitting a fadeaway shot and drawing the foul.
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His aggressive first half helped the Pistons to an 11-point lead by halftime. He ended the night with one steal, which he converted on the other end.
He had plenty of help from second-year center Isaiah Stewart, who came alive in the second half. Stewart has been working off the rust from an offseason ankle injury to end the night with one of his performances.
Just over four minutes into the third quarter, Stewart recorded a double-double after scoring 13 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. He ended the night with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Stewart scored 12 of his points in the second half as his teammates found him in the paint and confidently finished through contact. He played more physically too especially after battling with Andre Drummond for much of the first half.
The former Washington Husky made seven of his nine shot attempts from the field and made all but one of his free-throw attempts.
His efforts out of the half helped push the Pistons out to a 22-point lead two-thirds of the way through the third quarter before the starting unit sat for their breather.
The Pistons’ more experienced second unit will have some adjustments to make after some struggles in the last two games. Some of their missteps allowed the 76ers to go on a 14-2, run erasing the Pistons’ solid lead to just four points before Casey turned to his starters less than one minute into the fourth quarter.
Detroit’s offense began to flow again with the skills of Josh Jackson, Saben Lee, Rodney McGruder, Grant and Stewart. While they didn’t outscore Philadelphia, they along with Luka Garza and Frank Jackson knocked enough shots down to regain control of the game.
The Pistons now have three days of practice to iron out the kinks and answer their questions before they host the Chicago Bulls next Wednesday.
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