James Harden: “I’m Not A System Player, I Am A System”
Speaking in front of reporters for the first time as a member of the Clippers, James Harden opened up about his trade demand from the Sixers. Harden stated he felt the Sixers had him “on a leash” last season.
“When I mean a leash, I don’t mean just shooting the basketball every time,” Harden said via ESPN’s Malika Andrews (Twitter link). “I think the game and I’m a creator on the court … [I need] somebody that trusts me, that believes in me, that understands me, that I’m not a system player. I am a system.”
The 10-time All-Star said he just wants to win at the highest level, which is why he took less money to stay with the Sixers last season (Twitter link via Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina). Harden signed a two-year, $68.6MM deal with Philadelphia last summer — the second year was a player option, which he exercised before demanding a trade. According to Harden, he planned to retire a Sixer, but felt the organization had other plans.
“They didn’t want me. It’s that simple,” Harden said.
The Sixers traded Harden to the Clippers after a four-month saga. Harden made public comments criticizing Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey over the summer and was in and out of training camp as he awaited a trade.
In the end, Harden was sent to Los Angeles alongside P.J. Tucker, with Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Marcus Morris and Kenyon Martin Jr. dealt to Philadelphia. According to Andrews (Twitter link), Harden is planning to make his Clippers debut on Monday against the Knicks.
“I can fit in with anybody and make a championship run work,” (Twitter link via Medina). “All of us are on the same page in the sense that the individual stats and all of those things are past us.“
Atlantic Notes: Walker, Gallinari, Dowtin, Batum
After opening the season with a DNP-CD, Nets guard Lonnie Walker is impressing with an increased workload over the past three games as Brooklyn deals with injuries.
With Spencer Dinwiddie going down with an ankle sprain on Monday, Walker stepped in and registered 19 points, following that up with a 17-point performance on Wednesday without Dinwiddie or Dennis Smith Jr. in the lineup. In three games this season, Walker is averaging 16.7 points and shooting a blistering 47.1% from beyond the arc. His performance so far isn’t surprising his teammates, according to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis.
“That’s Lonnie Walker,” teammate Ben Simmons said. “If you watched him last year, you know what he’s capable of. He deserves to play every night. He’s one of the guys we need on this team to have nights like this.”
Walker signed with the Nets on a one-year, minimum-salary contract this summer after averaging 11.7 PPG as a key rotation piece for the Lakers last year.
“This goes a long ways,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “I don’t play him the first game. … For him to still have the commitment to the team, to [say,] ‘All right second game, let’s see what coach does.’ Third game, to stay with us. To me that speaks to who he is, how we can build with him. And he’s showing the ability that he can produce.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Playing for Boston would have been a dream come true for Danilo Gallinari, who grew up a fan of the Celtics and Larry Bird, according to The Athletic’s Jay King. That chance was taken from him after Gallinari suffered a torn ACL shortly after signing with Boston last summer, and while he’s trying not to dwell on the past, the forward found it especially tough to not be on the court, King writes. “It was just bad timing,” Gallinari said. “I thought we had the chance to win it. I thought especially during the series with Miami I could have helped a lot. But it’s all in the past.” According to King, Gallinari didn’t expect to be traded this summer. He was sent to Washington in the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics and is averaging 8.0 points in four games with the Wizards.
- The Raptors waived Jeff Dowtin at the roster cut-down deadline in October despite an impressive stint in the G League last season. Sportsnet.ca’s Blake Murphy reports (Twitter link) Dowtin is signing a G League contract and will suit up for the Delaware Blue Coats, the affiliate of the Sixers, who acquired his returning player rights in September. Dowtin had a few EuroLeague offers but will try to earn a call-up through the G League, Murphy adds.
- New Sixers forward Nicolas Batum is missing Thursday night’s game against the Raptors due to personal reasons, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. Batum averaged 2.7 points across three games with the Clippers this season.
Knicks Exercise 2024/25 Team Option On Quentin Grimes
OCTOBER 30: The Knicks have officially exercised their option on Grimes, the team announced (via Twitter).
OCTOBER 26: The Knicks are exercising their 2024/25 team option on guard Quentin Grimes, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter link). Because his fourth-year option is being picked up, Grimes will be eligible to sign a rookie scale extension next offseason.
Grimes, 23, has averaged 9.2 points per game across 118 career appearances (73 starts). As the No. 25 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Grimes will earn $4,296,682 in ’24/25. As Begley notes, this is a formality for most players with rookie scale team options and due to their affordable nature, they’re rarely declined, though it does happen.
Grimes has evolved into a key piece during his time with the Knicks, impressing in his rookie season before essentially becoming a full-time starter the following year. He jumped up to averaging 11.3 PPG with New York last season and scored 11 points in his ’23/24 debut on Wednesday against the Celtics.
The full list of decisions on 2024/25 rookie scale team options can be found right here.
Central Notes: Pistons, Carlisle, McConnell, Harden
The Pistons are trying to build a team that could epitomize both the “Bad Boys” teams of the ’80s and ’90s, as well as the “Goin’ to Work” Pistons of the 2000s, according to The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III. Defense is the key to doing so and, through two games, Detroit’s defense is forming its identity.
The Pistons held the Heat to 103 points in a narrow one-point loss on Wednesday and limited the Hornets to 99 points on Friday, one year after the league-wide scoring average was 114 points per game. Still, there’s plenty to clean up, Edwards writes, as the Pistons have committed 39 turnovers in two games.
“When you have those kinds of turnover numbers and fouls, you have to do something to offset it,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “It was the defense tonight. I mean, (the Hornets) shot 37 percent from the field. You don’t see that much in an NBA game. I thought our physicality had a lot to do with it, guarding the ball had a lot to do with it.”
The Pistons have one of the youngest rosters in the league and the oldest player in the starting lineup is 22. Still, they’re buying into the system Williams is setting in place, according to Edwards.
“I credit the guys we have, we understand the game more, but Monty coming in, putting in a system that we can follow easily, and the standard he’s set on the defensive end,” center Jalen Duren said. “Everyone is buying into it. We’ve got guys taking that end very seriously. When everyone is buying into that side of the basketball, this is the outcome.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle signed a contract extension with the team on Thursday and he’s looking forward to be around the team for the long haul, Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar writes. “I’m excited to continue the challenge here,” Carlisle said. “It’s really not a day to celebrate. It’s a day to be reminded of the daunting responsibility that me and my staff have to continue to develop this group. We’ve done some pretty good things as an organization the last couple of years and we have to keep pushing forward.“
- The Pacers are deep at the guard positions, leading Carlisle to make some difficult rotation decisions, including leaving T.J. McConnell out of the 10-man rotation, Dopirak details in a separate piece. “It was obviously a tough conversation as a competitor,” McConnell said. “But I’m just here to do my job. Whatever he thinks is best for the team, he’s got to do. I just have to stay ready.“
- The Bulls could benefit from exploring a swap involving Zach LaVine and James Harden, Scoop Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times opines. Chicago is 1-1 after an overtime victory over the Raptors on Friday, which came on the heels of a players-only meeting on Wednesday.
Raptors Notes: Schröder, Rajakovic, Barnes, Offense, Uzoh
After Fred VanVleet departed the Raptors in free agency, Toronto was quick to sign Dennis Schröder to a two-year, $25.4MM contract. Schroder is the only player on the Raptors who has previous experience playing for head coach Darko Rajakovic, and that connection is already paying off, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg writes.
While there was some speculation that Scottie Barnes would assume most of the play-making duties after VanVleet left, respect was high between Schröder and Rajakovic from their time together with the Thunder, where Rajakovic served as an assistant, according to Lewenberg.
“[Schröder]’s an experienced point guard,” Rajakovic said. “We’re a new team, new terminology, new coaching staff. There’s so much new with our team and having somebody who’s been through different teams in that role of a point guard brings a calmness.”
Through his first two games as a Raptor, Schröder has been an effective passer (17 assists), an active defender, and a sound shooter (6-of-13 from deep).
“The relationship with me and Darko is great, and it’s honest,” Schröder said. “Whenever he’s got something to say he tells me, and I’ve got the same thing for him. And I think that’s what we’ve gotta do as a team, as well. When you put your egos to the side – and that’s what we did this summer with the national team – and it’s all about winning, then you can get into arguments and move on from it and get better. I think we’re moving in that direction with this team.”
We have more on the Raptors:
- The Raptors got off to a great defensive start on Wednesday when they held the Timberwolves to 94 points and they have the personnel to be one of the best in the league in that regard, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. According to Koreen, Barnes holds the keys for the Raptors taking the next step on that end. “That’s where my game starts — on the defensive end, being able to go out there and guard anybody, taking pride in it,” the former Rookie of the Year said. “That’s just my mentality going into every game, trying to start off on defense. That leads to great offense with transition and that just leads me to stay on lockdown throughout the game.“
- While Toronto’s defense has been effective, their half-court offense looks subpar through two games, Koreen writes in another piece. The Raptors committed 21 turnovers on Friday and fell to the Bulls in overtime.
- Raptors president Masai Ujiri and new scout Ben Uzoh have a history together, as detailed by ESPN’s Leonard Solms. Ujiri was Denver’s general manager during Uzoh’s playing career and invited him to training camp in 2012. “Our paths were actually very organically separate,” Uzoh said. “It just kind of aligned. We crossed paths initially [during] my rookie year. I was rumored to be traded to his team when he was the GM of the Nuggets… It didn’t happen, but then they signed me to a training camp opportunity. That’s when I kind of got more in touch with him and more of an up close and personal type of connection with him.“
Wolves Notes: Expectations, Payroll, Edwards, Towns, McDaniels
The Timberwolves are setting a higher bar for their success as they enter their 35th season in the league, with team president Tim Connelly expressing his desire to win a playoff series in front of reporters at media day earlier this month, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.
After pushing in all their chips for Rudy Gobert last season, the Wolves faced several bumps in the road, including an injury to Karl-Anthony Towns, struggles by their stars to adapt, and not being able to close out teams with losing records. Still, the Wolves ran it back and are looking to improve on a 42-40 season.
“We like what we have. We’re bringing back pretty much the entire rotation. And we love our coaching staff,” Connelly said. “We love our core pieces and, fingers crossed, that the optimism is well placed.”
The Wolves committed to their core, signing Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels to contract extensions and returning the top six players from their playoff rotation. As Krawczynski writes, there’s pressure for the Wolves to win now with a suddenly expensive and aging roster. Gobert and Towns will make $93MM next season, Edwards’ salary jumps from $13.5MM to, at minimum, $35.5MM, among other spikes in salary and Mike Conley‘s impending free agency.
“There’s been a very loud mandate and risen bar about how we handle ourselves,” Connelly said. “It’s 82 games. There’s no BCS. We can’t take nights off. There were way too many nights last year when we just didn’t show up. But then against the elite teams, we showed what we’re capable of.”
We have more from the Timberwolves:
- Following the contract extensions the team completed this offseason, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune took a deeper look into Minnesota’s finances. As Hine explains, Edwards’ success will play a major role in the Timberwolves’ spending power looking forward because he can make up to $42.6MM if he makes an All-NBA team this season. Both Krawczynski and Hine note the Wolves are trending toward the second tax apron and that’s why there’s some speculation that the club might try and part with one of its large salaries by splitting it into multiple more palatable contracts, though that’s an issue for further down the road.
- Everything the Wolves have said and done indicates they view Edwards as their No. 1 franchise piece, Hine writes in a separate piece. “Pretty much every decision we’re going to make moving forward is going to be with Ant paramount,” Connelly said in April. However, there’s still room for Towns to have a profound impact on this franchise’s future and this season will go a long way in determining the upside of the Towns and Edwards duo, Hine explains.
- McDaniels is being listed as doubtful for the Wolves’ Saturday game against the Heat, according to the team (Twitter link). He’s dealing with a left calf strain.
Bucks Notes: Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Horst, First Game
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo responded to the team’s all-in push and the acquisition of Damian Lillard by signing a three-year, $186MM contract extension. It’s a quick turnaround for Antetokounmpo who, in August, said he wouldn’t sign a new deal with Milwaukee unless he felt everyone was on the same page as him.
The Bucks’ acquisition of Lillard proved to Antetokounmpo just how serious the franchise was about winning, and it’s the second time in three years general manager Jon Horst directly responded to uncertainty about Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee by pulling off a blockbuster trade, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes.
The last time Horst and the Bucks made such a move in the offseason following a lackluster playoff showing, acquiring Jrue Holiday from New Orleans, Milwaukee won the title. And with rival superstars reaching out to Antetokounmpo, rival teams gearing up for a bidding war for his services, and the Bucks lacking resources to meaningfully improve in free agency, Horst knew he was on the clock to make another big move, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN writes.
Antetokounmpo had no idea Horst and the Bucks were in serious talks for Lillard until the trade happened, both Amick and Shelburne explain. As detailed previously, the Bucks kept everything under wraps so as to not compromise the contending team they already felt they had with Holiday running the point in case things soured. With Milwaukee swinging for the fences, Antetokounmpo made the decision to give more of his prime to the franchise that drafted him in 2013.
“The city shows me a lot of love,” Antetokounmpo said. “And also whenever I go out there and have time with my family, they also give me space. When they see me on the street, they give me space. They respect me, who I am as a person, what I’ve done for the city of Milwaukee. And for that, I can’t turn my back. Not now, not in the future, not never. I want to be committed. I want to give back to the city of Milwaukee. We won one championship, but I believe that we can win a second one.”
Waiting a year to sign an extension with the Bucks would have given Antetokounmpo to sign for an extra year and $65MM, but with Lillard on board, Horst still sent the franchise player an official offer letter for an extension the first day he was permitted to, Shelburne details. Horst and his team pitched Giannis on the idea of signing a three-year extension now, which would allow him to sign two more maximum extensions before the age-38 rule in the CBA would limit his flexibility.
“When we took the long-term view of how this decision gave him the best ability to maximize earnings over the next 10 years, it began to make more sense,” Antetokounmpo’s agent Alex Saratsis said.
We have more from the Bucks:
- Milwaukee’s decision to trade for Lillard paid immediate dividends in the team’s opener against the Sixers on Thursday. The Bucks’ new point guard dropped 39 points, a team record for most points in a debut game, including the final 11 points scored by the club in the 118-117 victory, ESPN’s Jamal Collier notes. “At the end of the day, he had the hot hand and you’ve got to keep on feeding it. You’ve got to keep going with what works,” Antetokounmpo said.
- Lillard and Antetokounmpo have had extensive conversations about closing games out, and Lillard gave some insight into those talks following Thursday’s game. “They trust my judgment and they trust me making decisions,” Lillard said via Gabe Stoltz of Brew Hoop (Twitter link). “All the way down to the very last play where I got fouled and I went to the free throw line, they inbounded it to Giannis and I was just kind of reading him like, “What do you want to do?” And he was like “Come get the ball.” … He wanted me to make that final decision. For a player of his level to respect me in that way, it means a lot to me but I think it just shows that his No. 1 priority is to be the best we can be and win games.“
- Lillard delivered the ultimate first impression to his teammates in his 39-point debut, CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney writes. “It was tough man, he was hooping,” Cameron Payne said. “It was crazy, we really ain’t got to see that Dame yet. That was our first time seeing him go crazy on our team, because in preseason he was getting trapped. We really didn’t get to see that. But he put on a show tonight. I know he’s gonna keep that going. The boy looked good.“
Heat Notes: Jaquez, Richardson, Highsmith, Road Trip, Bryant
Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez immediately made an impact for Miami in his first NBA game, recording six points, two assists, two rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra showed trust in Jaquez, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, allowing him to bring the ball up the court and running offense through him in the mid-post.
“When I got out there, it just felt like basketball,” Jaquez said. “I think the nerves kind of settled down when I first got out there. I think the preseason helped a lot, those games. I felt really comfortable.”
According to Spoelstra and Jaquez’s teammates, his experience in college was apparent. Jaquez, a 22-year-old rookie, played four seasons at UCLA.
“Jaime is not a regular rookie,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “A guy that’s experienced, he’s been in big games before, he’s been in those games where he’s needed to be a leader, he’s needed to be the one option. That’s throughout all those years in college. Me and Tyler [Herro] came in here at 19 after one year in college and had to figure it out. I feel like he’s coming into the league ready.”
Jaquez was on a minutes restriction due to a groin injury suffered in the preseason, Chiang writes, but his play in the opener paves the way for more playing time even after Miami’s injured players return to action.
We have more from the Heat:
- Josh Richardson (foot) and Haywood Highsmith (knee) both missed the Heat’s opener against the Pistons on Wednesday and both will be out for their game Friday in Boston, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Winderman adds (Twitter link) that neither player traveled with the team. Miami’s game in Boston is the first in a three-game road trip, meaning both players may remain on the shelf until the Heat return home.
- The Heat’s upcoming three-game road stretch is indicative of the month to come, with Miami playing on the road for 12 of their next 16 games, Chiang observes in a separate piece. Eight of those 12 road games come against teams who made the playoffs last season. In particular, it will be interesting to see how Miami plays against Boston (Oct. 27) and Milwaukee (Oct. 30), Chiang writes. “It’s going to test us,” Adebayo said. “This is one of those road trips where you’re going into the lion’s den and seeing where you are, seeing who you are as a team and your identity.“
- Heat center Thomas Bryant made his Miami debut on Wednesday and looked to justify their pursuit of him in July’s free agency period, Winderman writes. He played with energy for the Heat’s second unit and recorded eight points, six rebounds and three assists. “We tried to address the one issue that I think had to be addressed,” Heat president Pat Riley said of adding Bryant. “And we really like this player in Thomas Bryant that can give us more around the paint, at the rim, offense. If you go back and look at last year against Denver, we were beat in the paint. That’s it. We were killed in the paint.“
Atlantic Notes: Rajakovic, Boucher, Randle, Simmons
The Raptors defeated the Timberwolves on Wednesday in the team’s opening game and new coach Darko Rajakovic‘s impact on Toronto was immediately apparent, writes The Athletic’s Eric Koreen. Even if things didn’t go perfectly, the Raptors tried to adhere to Rajakovic’s style, playing fast in transition, taking just 10 shots between the three-point line and the paint, and moving the ball.
There are still things the Raptors need to clean up, including the fact they scored just 97 points in the win, Koreen observes. But Rajakovic played 10 players and was quick to adapt his rotation as the game went on.
“I thought we still needed to play faster. What I mean by that is there were moments that we were coming past half court, and then we did not get into offense early enough and quickly enough,” Rajakovic said. “That’s something that we are still going to work on. It’s one of those things [where] we cannot just be watching each other. We’ve gotta be able to cut and drive and collapse [the opposing] defense and find open people.”
It’s been a long journey to Rajakovic’s first NBA win, as detailed in a lengthy piece from Sportsnet.ca’s Michael Grange. Despite that, he’s focusing on the now.
“I’m really staying with both feet on the ground,” Rajakovic said. “This is [an] amazing opportunity that I have to represent my country, to represent European basketball. But all I can do is my preparation for the next thing that is coming. I am struggling [against] making something really big out of it. I’m trying to stay with both feet on the ground and to be present.”
Rajakovic began his coaching career at 16 years old as a youth coach before coaching in Spain, the then-NBA D-League, and eventually as an assistant in the NBA, where he had stints with the Thunder, Suns and Grizzlies.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Grange further explores Rajakovic’s path to becoming the Raptors head coach, interviewing several of his former players. “I love picking apart the game, IQ-wise, and he has an extremely, extremely high basketball IQ,” current Wizards and former Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones said. “In games, practices, whenever we had a chance. He loves the game … and knows how to get the best out of people. I love Darko.” I recommend checking out Grange’s piece in full here.
- Koreen notes that Chris Boucher was the odd man out of Rajakovic’s 10-man rotation on Wednesday, with Jalen McDaniels, Malachi Flynn and Gradey Dick the last three off the bench for the Raptors.
- Knicks forward Julius Randle technically left money on the table two years ago by signing a four-year extension worth up to $117MM, as he would have been eligible to sign a five-year, $207MM deal by waiting a year, writes the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy. Then again, he had a disappointing 2021/22 season following a ’20/21 season in which he was All-NBA Second Team and would’ve been eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2022, so he may not have earned as much money by waiting anyway. Regardless, Randle has no regrets and is happy with the direction his decision sent the front office in. “I’ve always said, I want to win a championship here. Bring a championship here,” Randle said.
- Nets guard Ben Simmons finished with 10 rebounds and nine assists in Brooklyn’s opener, looking effective for most of the night, The New York Post’s Brian Lewis writes. Even still, Simmons was benched in the fourth quarter of Brooklyn’s loss to the Cavaliers. Ultimately, head coach Jacque Vaughn played Dennis Smith Jr. over Simmons in crunch time. “Overall [Smith] was a part of that stretch that really got us back in the game,” Vaughn said. “It was the physicality which he played with that kind of permeated through the group.“
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Williams, Rotation, Defense
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham made his return to regular season NBA basketball on Wednesday against the Heat after missing most of last season due to a shin injury. He didn’t take long to get into form, finishing with 30 points and nine assists in a narrow 103-102 loss to Miami.
Despite the loss, Cunningham made a statement in his return, orchestrating a 27-9 closing run that almost allowed Detroit to steal one from the Heat, as Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes.
“It’s crazy to be back on the court, back with my brothers competing,” Cunningham said. “I’m just thankful and lucky to be doing what I do. I just kinda carried that with me and just wanted to play hard and stay in the moment and let the game be what it is.”
According to Sankofa, Cunningham spent most of the offseason rehabbing in Miami in preparation for his return to league play.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we came back here for the first game,” Cunningham said. “It was meant to be for me, myself. I couldn’t be more proud of the team that I’m a part of, and just excited about the teammates that I have. I’m lucky to be around them every day. I don’t really think about my leg every day. I just think about what can I do for my team, and how can I help us.”
While Cunningham made his return to NBA action on Wednesday, it wasn’t his first organized five-on-five playing experience this year. Cunningham played for the USA Select Team, scrimmaging against the USA Basketball World Cup Team this summer in front of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whom his team squared off against on Wednesday.
“He made everybody watch, you remember that,” Spoelstra said. “But that’s what you expect when you’re a No. 1 draft pick. You have size, you have the full skill set, the vision, the handle, shooting. The way he plays the game offensively, it belies the years of his experience.”
We have more notes from the Pistons:
- Head coach Monty Williams has experience in raising the floors of NBA teams, bringing the Suns from a 19-win team to a 34-win team in 2019 and taking the Pelicans to the playoffs. Now, he’s being tasked with bringing one of the winningest franchises in league history back to the top with a young roster, The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III writes. Williams took the time to discuss whether players would be held to a higher standard this season than in the past. “I wouldn’t say shorter leash,” Williams said. “I’d just say it’s about growth. I’m not one to say you just play through mistakes. I don’t think that’s how players grow. I think too many guys, and this is just my opinion, have played through mistakes and picked up habits … Sometimes you got to pull [players] talk to him, show him and then get him back out there. Just allowing guys to play through repetitive mistakes, I’m just not sure that’s a recipe for success.”
- Williams started Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart on Wednesday, and stuck to a 10-man rotation even with players absent to injury, Mike Curtis of The Detroit News observes. Curtis also notes Cunningham’s dominant return along with Stewart’s promising offensive and defensive play at the power forward position.
- Even though the Pistons committed several self-inflicted wounds in their one-point loss on Wednesday, including 14 first-half turnovers, they finally feel like they’re turning the corner, Edwards opines. The Pistons’ 13 blocks and late-game run were bright points, as was holding Miami to 103 points, setting the expectation for what the defense will look like for the rest of the season. “I’ve said it a couple of times that, when you guys show me that you can play that way, that’s what I expect every night,” Williams said.