Jaden Ivey made lots of photographs Monday night time. None greater was the one he hit on the buzzer.
Ivey was a extremely environment friendly 10-of-13 from the ground within the Detroit Pistons’ 102-100 win over their trans-border rivals, the Toronto Raptors. He completed with 25 factors and eight assists within the recreation, lifting his teammates throughout an in any other case tough capturing night time within the absence of Cade Cunningham, who was out for his second straight recreation with a hip damage.
The non-Ivey Pistons shot solely 38 p.c, making Ivey’s offensive heroics essential, particularly after a wild last 3:01, which featured eight totally different ties or lead modifications. Ivey obtained to the road and cut up two free throws with 2:31 to go however very a lot redeemed himself on the finish.
Underneath head coach Monty Williams final season, Ivey had a disappointing sophomore season, the place he misplaced his spot within the beginning lineup for a part of the season and noticed his shot alternatives drop. Now enjoying for J.B. Bickerstaff, Ivey’s scoring is as much as 18.4 factors per recreation, with a career-best 44.7 p.c capturing from the sphere and 37.2 p.c from three-point vary.
He is helped Detroit go from one of many league’s worst-shooting groups to a very common capturing crew, rating nineteenth in discipline aim proportion and sixteenth in threes. They’re now 8-11 on the season and as much as eighth place within the East. Final yr, the Pistons did not get their eighth win till Feb. 8. With out two last-second losses to the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit might have a successful document.
The Raptors are struggling, however just like the Pistons, they have a crew loaded with thrilling younger expertise, even when they have not put it collectively but. With these groups only a few hours away on Freeway 401, this might be the beginning of an enduring rivalry between the 2 golf equipment.
