The Pistons resigned Javonte Green to a one-year, $3.95 million contract this summer, a transaction that went largely unnoticed.
Despite not getting much attention, Green appeared in all 82 games last season on a 60-win team. And the veteran wing made everyone take notice Tuesday when he sparked a second-half rally in Detroit’s 121-113 season-opening win over Boston.
Green had 19 points in 18 minutes as the Pistons erased a 22-point deficit. He was on the floor when they scored 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and then clinched the victory with two late free throws.
“I was always taught to go out and lead by example” he said. “I mean, it’s very comforting to have that kind of trust teammates and for them to trust you as well.”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Jalen Durenwho ended his controversial restricted free agency during training camp by signing a $200 million contract, scored 22 points in the opener. He wasn’t the least bit surprised that the Pistons came back from a 22-point deficit to win, the largest opening-day comeback in the NBA’s play-by-play era (since 1997-98). “We’re not a team to hang our heads. We’ve seen rock bottom.” he said. “A lot of guys are new here, but we’ve seen the bottom, so we’re not afraid of it. And you know, we fight. That’s our team’s identity. We’ve built everything we have so far from being tough, being dogs and kind of just attacking everybody that comes our way. So I wouldn’t ever say we were scared or worried or anything.”
- Ausar Thompsonwho also signed a lucrative extension in the offseason, had 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. coach J. Bickerstaff looking for Thompson to be more of an offensive threat. “We know he’s going to guard the other guy’s best player and do what he does out there, but how disruptive can he be on that (offensive) end of the floor? We just want him to be persistent for as many minutes as he’s on the floor.” Bickerstaff said. “We want everyone to feel his impact, so we just have to keep pushing him, and I know he wants that, so that’s the easy part for us.”
- Few reserve players played at least 15 minutes, but Ron Holland was not one of them. Holland, whose contract is for 2027/28 was guaranteed the team saw just three minutes of action before the game when Bickerstaff went back on Green’s hot hand. Team depth is a good dilemma for a coach. “We’ll find out who is the best option of this group,” Bickerstaff said. “I’m still looking to put combinations together, get guys on the floor, gauge who’s playing the best when. Is it a second-quarter group? Is it a fourth-quarter group? It’s just new guys coming in that we have to work with on what we’re doing and still getting a feel for it.”
