Three things Pistons must carry into Game 2 to defend home vs. Cavaliers

Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) and guard Cade Cunningham celebrate during the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Game 1 win over the Cavaliers.

Ball security

Turnovers were one of the Pistons' most significant deficiencies in their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. They finished the seven-game series with an average of 16.4 turnovers per game, the third-worst in the league. Cade Cunningham was at the forefront of the issue, as he was responsible for an average of 5.9 giveaways per game.

In the Pistons' Game 1 victory, Cunningham had a mediocre night, committing four turnovers. However, the team did a better job overall of protecting the ball against Cleveland.

"We just threw the ball to the open man," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "It sounds simple, but it is the truth. Our spacing was great, which gave us room to operate. They are a big and long team that can make you play in tight spaces. But, if our spacing is proper, it gives us the right angle and the right look."

From the opening quarter, it was clear that the Pistons had learned from their careless mistakes, as they went the entire period without committing a turnover. They offset minor slippage in the second quarter with six giveaways, but in the second half they finished with five turnovers, with just two in the fourth quarter.

By not giving away the ball carelessly, the Pistons posted one of their most efficient performances, shooting 44% from the field and nailing 10 3-pointers. It also led to the Pistons and Cavaliers nearly splitting the possession battle, which limited Cleveland's ability to score easy points off turnovers.

Consistency from bench unit, especially Ron Holland II

In Game 1, the Pistons showcased several moments that highlighted their ability to win 60 games and establish themselves as contenders during the regular season. One key factor was the performance of their bench unit. On Tuesday night, the Pistons' reserves demonstrated their potential by scoring a postseason-best 27 points.

In their first-round series against the Magic, the Pistons' bench unit performed significantly worse than during the regular season. They entered the second round averaging just 19 points, ranking second-to-last among the 16 teams in the first round. In the regular season, they averaged 41.3 points, ranking 11th in the league.

"We know what our bench is capable of," Ron Holland II said. "We have our little chant with each player on the bench before the game, where we all know we are supposed to be out there and be ready. When our name is called, to make sure we are ready. We are starting to put things together to be able to go out there and make an impact."

Daniss Jenkins' play over the last two games has been one of the main reasons Detroit's bench play has returned to form. In Game 1, he led the entire unit with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting, to go along with seven rebounds, four steals and three assists. But the most important contribution came from Holland.

Ron Holland II, left, chipped in six points and a steal off the bench in Detroit's Game 1 win over Cleveland.

Despite not playing for nearly two weeks, Holland exhibited the same hustle and energy that have made him a fan favorite over the past two seasons. He finished the game with six points on 2-of-3 shooting from the field and a steal in 10 minutes. His highlight moment occurred at the end of the third quarter when he connected on a near half-court 3-pointer just as time expired.

It appears Holland's minutes will return to their regular-season levels. His play — alongside Jenkins, Javonte Green and Isaiah Stewart — will help the Pistons' second unit not only return to form but also be a central figure in taking a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Cleveland.

"I thought Ron was awesome. Doing what he did, even just in a short amount of time, to come in and do that after things aren’t going his way," Duncan Robinson said. "In that first series for a young player to come in and do that, I have the utmost respect for that, because he just kept his head, was in the gym every day working, and prepared himself for an opportunity like this to come in and give us a spark."

Keep on truckin' J.D.

Jalen Duren started the postseason slowly but has since made valuable contributions in several aspects of the game. Over the last two contests, he has found a slight offensive rhythm, averaging 13 points and shooting 46% from the field. His scoring was particularly crucial in the final five minutes of Game 1, where he went on a personal 6-0 run to help fend off the Cavaliers' rally in the fourth quarter.

In Game 2, the Pistons will rely on Duren to maintain his offensive production, as he will play a crucial role in matching the Cavaliers' scoring output. On top of that, the Pistons need Duren to continue to be the two-way big man he has become throughout the playoffs. Through eight games so far this postseason, Duren has averaged 9.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

While his scoring was important, Duren's defense was most crucial in the fourth quarter of Game 1, when he blocked James Harden's layup attempt, preventing the Cavaliers from taking the lead late.

"His all-around game is effective for us," Bickerstaff said. "I thought down the stretch, in particular, his will to want to go get the ball in the offensive rebounds he had and how he imposed his will on the game to give us extra possessions (was effective). Defensively, being in the right spot to limit some of the early penetration, showing his frame, I thought he did a great job for us all around the court."

Cavaliers at Pistons, Game 2

**▶ Tip-off:**7 p.m. Thursday, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

▶ TV/radio: Amazon Prime/950

▶ Outlook: Jarrett Allen experienced a significant shift in performance, going from one of his best career games to one of his least efficient outings. Due to foul trouble — picking up three fouls in the first quarter — Allen was limited to just 18 minutes during Game 1. He finished the game with three rebounds and two points on four shots. After leading the Cavaliers to a Game 7 victory on Sunday, Allen averaged 11.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals in the series against the Toronto Raptors.

coty.davis@detroitnews.com

@cotydavis_24

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Three things Detroit Pistons must carry into Game 2 against Cavaliers