POSTGAME NOTES DETROIT PISTONS (26-26) Detroit defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 111-91 to win its fourth straight home game. Detroit has won five consecutive games against Portland. Detroit holds a 54-61 all-time record against the Trail Blazers and a 35-23 home record. Detroit dished out a season-high 36 assists. Detroit has recorded 20-plus assists in 44 of 52 games this season and in 20 consecutive games. Detroit is 11-1 when shooting 50% or better – their second consecutive game shooting 50% or better. Detroit is 23-12 when scoring 100 points or more. Detroit is 15-7 when grabbing more rebounds than its opponent. Andre Drummond recorded his 37th double-double of the season with 17 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and one steal in 34 minutes. Drummond (266) is tied with DeMarcus Cousin for the most double-doubles in the NBA since he entered the league in 2012-13. Drummond has recorded the most 15-plus point, 15-plus rebound games since entering the league in 2012-13. Tonight marks his 105th career 15-plus point, 15-plus rebound game. Blake Griffin recorded 21 points, nine rebounds and six assist in 30 minutes – his second 20-plus point game as a Piston. Anthony Tolliver led the bench with 15 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS [29-25) Portland has lost seven of its last nine road games. Portland is 6-4 on the second night of a back-to-back this season. Damian Lillard led the team with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists – his 35th 20-plus point game this season.
POSTGAME QUOTES DETROIT PISTONS vs. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS REGULAR SEASON GAME #52 REGULAR SEASON HOME GAME #27 LITTLE CAESARS ARENA FEBRUARY 5, 2018 @ 7:00 PM ET DETROIT PISTONS HEAD COACH STAN VAN GUNDY: (On season-high 36 assists): “I thought early in the game, I didn’t really think we got the ball moving, but then as the game went on I thought the ball moved really well. We were really unselfish. Thing is if you look at the assists they’re spread out across the board: seven for Ish (Smith), six for Blake (Griffin), six for Langston Galloway, five for Andre (Drummond), Luke (Kennard) and Stanley (Johnson) have four, Bullock has three. A lot of guys getting in the act of passing the ball, it gets contagious.” (On Andre Drummond): “The dilemma with Andre (Drummond) is that he does so many good things and he’s so good and he’s so talented, so I want it all the time. He’s playing great. He’s having a great year and I’m still pushing for more and more and more. The guy is doing fantastic. Great player of the week honor for him. He’s playing really, really well.” DETROIT PISTONS GUARD LUKE KENNARD: (On how he’s handling the grind of the NBA season): “I’m feeling pretty good. I think, every now and then I can kind of feel it. Feel it in my body, in my legs a bit. I’ve had guys around me that have told me things that I can do and help me through the process the entire season. It’s been good and I’m feeling good. I’ve just got to keep rolling.” (On coming back from the injury): “I’ve had a few days off now and I was ready to get out there. I know this morning I was still questionable for the game, but I was ready for sure.” DETROIT PISTONS CENTER ANDRE DRUMMOND: (On him and Blake Griffin): “It can only get better from here. With his addition, it’s just been a lot of fun. He’s able to handle the ball, he’s a great playmaker. He’s doing a great job of adjusting right now. We didn’t really understand what was going to happen when we first got him. We didn’t know how long it was going to take for him to adjust, but him being the professional that he is, he adjusted very quickly. Three wins already are showing it.” (On season-high 36 assists): “The offensive energy was very high. We were moving the ball around early and a lot of guys were hitting open shots so that’s always a key thing, too.”
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS:(On if it was a tough night defensively for the team): “The first half wasn’t that bad. They obviously pulled away in the second half. We couldn’t get much traction defensively in the second half. In the first half, I don’t think we took advantage of some of the offensive opportunities that we had. It was like we were a step slow in the second half.” (On if playing in three games in four nights was the reason why they were slow): “Well, that’s the NBA schedule. You play back-to-backs, you play 3-in-4 nights, that’s part of the NBA schedule. I don’t think anybody uses that as an excuse.” (On the decision to go with Maurice Harkless was to keep rotations in-tact): “Well, Mo came off of a good game in Boston. He’s been a starter before with good success and keeping the rotation the same, as well.” PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS GUARD DAMIAN LILLARD: (On tonight’s game): “I’m not sure. I felt like at the start of the game, it was kind of back and forth. Then they had one action, they had one hand-off out the corner, and they kept getting down there in the center of our defense, in the heart of our defense. Once guys get confident and get to making shots, it’s hard to stop them. I think tonight, they were just too comfortable and then out of that action we started to have trouble when we tried to adjust on the fly and help each other. One guy helped and then the next guy stunts. And then we were just closing out the shooters who had already made a few shots, they already had it going and it felt good. They had a great night shooting the ball. We didn’t do enough things early to disrupt that and it led to the route.” (On if they felt the effect of three cities in four days tonight): “It’s always tough to play the last game on a road trip. Especially against a team that’s playing well and rejuvenated since the trade. We knew it was going to be a tough one, and we would’ve liked to get two out of these three, at least. No one wants to go zero for three on a road trip, but life goes on, the season goes on, and we’ve got to regroup and get ready to take care of the next one.”
