It probably didn't bring calm to the Detroit Pistons training staff when Brandon Jennings took off his protective facemask in the fourth quarter Sunday night, but it likely wasn't too much of a concern for head coach Maurice Cheeks. The removal of Jennings' mask was the turning point of the point guard's 14-point, four-assist debut for the Pistons, and it followed a 13-0 run by the Boston Celtics.
Brandon Jennings unmasks in debut to help Pistons rip Celtics
In his first game with the Detroit Pistons after sitting out to recover from a jaw injury, point guard Brandon Jennings came off the bench to spark his new team to a strong fourth quarter and subsequent win.
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Detroit trailed 65-63, but at that point, Jennings lost his mask there to protect a recovering jaw fracture and helped the Pistons to a 87-77 win in The Palace of Auburn Hills. The numbers didn’t quite reflect Jennings’ impact, according to Matt Watson of Detroit Bad Boys.
His assist total would look even better if his teammates hadn't missed so many layups. Jennings wore his protective mask for most of the game before ripping it off in the fourth quarter. He already said he hates wearing it, but I'll be shocked if Detroit's training staff allows him to go without when the Pistons host the Pacers on Tuesday.
Jennings also finished with four steals in his first game with his new team. His came off the bench to play 31 minutes, and there's a good chance he works his way into the starting lineup sooner rather than later. The former Milwaukee Bucks point guard, acquired in a sign-and-trade deal this offseason, took starting point guard Will Bynum's minutes in a crucial fourth quarter.
After Jennings lost his mask, he scored on a drive, found Kyle Singler for an and-one, made a clear-path free throw and then finished a 10-0 run with a three-pointer. He finished with eight fourth-quarter points and recorded three of his assists in the final frame.
Jennings looked to his big frontline early on, and his first pass was a lob attempt to forward Josh Smith. He wasted no time showing the swagger that has made him appear cocky at some times and brilliant at others. From Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News:
"I'm a hooper," Jennings proclaimed after the morning shootaround, and later he showed why he called himself that, after losing his balance, found Andre Drummond for a layup, bouncing a pass while on the floor.
After one game, all is well with Jennings. The only bit of bad news for his performance? Rookie shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will have a harder time cracking Cheeks' rotation despite performing well in his first two games.
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