FAST BREAKDOWN
Three quick observations from Thursday night’s 99-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks
SLAM DUNK – Stan Van Gundy wants to get longer looks at players down the roster to inform decisions on rotation roles and roster berths. He just doesn’t want the unavailability of his starters to be the impetus. But that’s what created playing time for Boban Marjanovic and Ray McCallum Jr. and made a starter out of Jon Leuer in Thursday’s third preseason game. With Reggie Jackson out until at least late November as he recovers from Monday’s platelet-rich plasma injection in his ailing left knee and both Marcus Morris and Andre Drummond sidelined – Morris by left knee tendinitis (keep reading) and Drummond with a low-grade fever – the Pistons fell behind by 16 points in the first quarter but dominated the middle quarters and the last three minutes of the game.