DETROIT – The Pistons are quite adept – best in the NBA, in fact – at playing volleyball off of their backboard to score off of missed shots. But that’s wholly owing to Andre Drummond’s presence – the best offensive rebounder of his generation and several others, too – and his presence was, uh, absent for the final 41 minutes of a game that might wind up determining their playoff fates.
But Zaza Pachulia, who returned from an eight-game injury absence only two nights ago, was present. And in the right place. And doing a thoroughly credible Drummond impersonation.