Detroit
Pistons

This late-season stretch marked a terrifying offensive breakout for Jalen Duren, who transformed into an unstoppable, hyper-efficient force around the rim. He set the tone early on 02/27 vs CLE, logging a massive +47.9 impact score by bullying his way to 33 points and 16 rebounds across 42 grueling minutes. His shot selection was virtually flawless during this run. This ruthless interior efficiency was perfectly captured on 03/17 vs WAS, where he dropped 36 points on a ridiculous 13-of-17 from the floor to earn a +38.7 impact mark. Duren also started punishing defensive rotations with sharp passing from the post. On 03/26 vs NOP, he paired 30 points on 10-of-12 shooting with seven assists, generating a +37.0 impact score by tearing apart coverages and dominating the glass. When a center combines automatic finishing with relentless rebounding, opposing frontcourts simply run out of answers.

This midseason run marked Cunningham’s volatile transition into a pure, high-volume offensive maestro. He operated as an unstoppable engine during the 02/19 vs NYK matchup, hanging 42 points and 13 assists on the defense to generate a staggering +37.4 impact score. But giving him the ultimate green light occasionally backfired. Look at the 02/23 vs SAS game, where he clanked his way to 16 points on a brutal 5-of-26 shooting performance. That miserable shot selection and the resulting wasted possessions dragged his impact down to a -3.6 for the night. Fortunately, he is learning how to salvage his value when the jumper fails him. During the 03/12 vs PHI contest, Cunningham attempted just six field goals for 8 points but still managed a +1.6 impact by pivoting entirely to facilitation and racking up 13 assists to keep the offense humming.

Tobias Harris spent this late-season stretch oscillating wildly between hyper-efficient offensive engine and completely invisible passenger. He opened the run on 03/01 vs ORL by pouring in 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting, attacking mismatches to generate a massive +28.3 Impact score. Yet, just over a week later, he morphed into an offensive ghost on 03/10 vs BKN. He managed a meager two points on 1-of-5 shooting, and his sheer lack of aggression dragged his Impact down to a dismal -12.4. Thankfully, he eventually learned to adapt. On 03/26 vs NOP, Harris scored only 12 points but still posted a +6.3 Impact score by crashing the glass for nine rebounds and keeping the offense humming with seven assists. He remains a frustratingly talented veteran who dictates his own value entirely through his willingness to engage.

This late-season stretch was defined by Ausar Thompson settling into a highly efficient, connective role where his relentless motor often outweighed his scoring limitations. On 02/27 vs CLE, he carved up the defense for 18 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on 7-of-10 shooting, generating a massive +18.8 Impact score. That elite rating stemmed directly from his pristine shot selection and constant off-ball movement, punishing a sleeping defense without demanding isolation touches. He did not even need to hit double digits to completely tilt a game, as seen on 03/01 vs ORL. Despite scoring just nine points, he ripped down 11 rebounds and missed only a single shot to earn a +16.1 Impact score, creating immense non-scoring value by generating second-chance opportunities and blowing up passing lanes. However, when his interior finishing vanished, his overall effectiveness plummeted. During a rough outing on 03/15 vs TOR, he managed just four points on an ugly 2-of-8 from the floor, resulting in a bleak -10.4 Impact score as his empty offensive possessions bogged down the entire unit.

Duncan Robinson's late-season stretch was defined by the extreme volatility of life as a one-dimensional shooting specialist. Even when his jumper was falling, his limitations constantly threatened to sink his value on the floor. Take his performance during the Mar 31 vs TOR game, where he poured in 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from deep, yet still posted a -4.9 impact score because his defensive liabilities (-4.7) bled away all his offensive gains. Conversely, his relentless cutting and perimeter gravity during the Apr 08 vs MIL matchup yielded a stellar +9.9 impact score as he efficiently racked up 20 points and opened massive driving lanes for his teammates. But when the aggression vanished entirely, he became an active detriment. In the Mar 15 vs TOR contest, a complete lack of offensive aggression resulted in just 1 point on two shot attempts, plunging him to a disastrous -18.9 impact score.

Paul Reed spent the back half of the 2025-26 season oscillating wildly between an end-of-bench afterthought and an unstoppable spot-starting force. When thrust into the starting lineup 03/30 vs OKC, he unleashed sheer havoc, logging 21 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes to generate a massive +18.0 impact score through relentless rim pressure. Yet, his erratic nature surfaced just a day later 03/31 vs TOR. Despite tallying 10 points and five assists in just 13 minutes, he managed a -0.6 impact score because his defensive gambles and chaotic rotations gave away whatever value he created on offense. He eventually learned to channel that chaotic energy perfectly, capping off this stretch with an absolute masterclass 04/12 vs IND. Starting once again, Reed poured in 26 points on a flawless 11-for-11 shooting night. He registered an absurd +33.4 impact by completely eliminating bad shots and overwhelming the interior with pure hustle.

Isaiah Stewart’s midseason stretch was defined by maddening volatility, oscillating wildly between empty-calorie scoring and dominant two-way shifts. Take his 01/29 vs PHX appearance as a prime example of his frustrating floor. Despite scoring a highly efficient 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting, he dragged the team down with a -2.8 Impact. The hidden cost was his complete lack of peripheral production, grabbing just two rebounds and zero assists while floating passively on defense. Conversely, he found ways to salvage terrible offensive nights through sheer effort, like on 03/10 vs BKN. He bricked his way to just 4 points on 2-for-7 shooting but still posted a +2.6 Impact. He generated that non-scoring value by crashing the glass for 8 rebounds and doing the necessary dirty work inside. When everything finally clicked, as it did on 03/05 vs SAS, the results were lethal; he drilled three triples en route to 18 points and a towering +16.7 Impact.

This late-season stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, with Huerter oscillating wildly between detrimental bench stints and sudden bursts of offensive brilliance. His erratic shot selection often sank the second unit, a flaw glaringly evident during the 04/04 vs PHI matchup. Despite logging six assists in that contest, his abysmal 2-for-9 shooting and forced perimeter looks dragged his Impact down to a dismal -10.3. Yet, when he stopped settling for bad threes and attacked with purpose, his overall value skyrocketed. During the 03/19 vs WAS game, Huerter missed both of his deep attempts but shot an efficient 6-of-10 overall, pairing 14 points with active rebounding to post a massive +19.8 Impact. He even found a rhythm when thrust into the starting five. On 03/26 vs NOP, he exploded for 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, generating a +11.7 Impact simply by catching fire and punishing sluggish defensive closeouts.

Pure, unadulterated chaos defined Javonte Green's late-season stretch, as he swung wildly between game-breaking energy and spacing-killing blunders. He rarely needed to shoot to completely hijack a game. Look at Mar 23 vs LAL, where he tallied a mere 6 points but posted a massive +10.7 impact score. That elite rating stemmed entirely from relentless defensive disruption (+6.7) and elite hustle (+4.5) that wreaked absolute havoc on the floor. When his jumper actually fell, he became a lethal weapon, dropping 19 points and hitting five threes to earn a +9.2 impact on Mar 30 vs OKC. Yet, his hyper-active style carried hidden costs. On Mar 26 vs NOP, Green scored an efficient 8 points on 3/4 shooting, but a brutal -6.7 impact score exposed how his defensive lapses (-2.6) actively sabotaged the broader lineup. He remains the ultimate volatile sparkplug.

A mid-season promotion to the starting lineup defined Daniss Jenkins's late-season stretch, transforming him from a struggling reserve into a wildly volatile offensive engine. Given the keys to the offense, he caught fire on 03/23 vs LAL. He torched the defense for 30 points and eight assists on highly efficient 11-for-18 shooting, generating a stellar +20.3 Impact. Yet, raw box score numbers were sometimes deceiving. During a grueling 45-minute shift on 03/25 vs ATL, Jenkins tallied 19 points and 10 assists but still dragged the team down with a -6.9 Impact. This negative mark despite a double-double stemmed from hidden costs, specifically his erratic 1-for-6 perimeter shooting and defensive liabilities that bled points the other way. He eventually learned to manipulate defenses without dominating the shot clock. On 04/04 vs PHI, he prioritized distribution over volume scoring, tallying 16 points but dishing out a massive 14 assists to drive a +13.5 Impact through relentless ball movement.

Ronald Holland II's late-season stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, oscillating wildly between explosive offensive bursts and disastrous, momentum-killing stints. During the Mar 12 vs PHI matchup, he poured in 15 points but still posted a dismal -9.0 impact score because underlying inefficiencies and severe defensive breakdowns bled points the other way. He frequently suffered from severe tunnel vision, forcing low-quality shots into crowded paint areas instead of letting the game come to him. When he finally harnessed that chaotic energy, the results were thrilling. He wrecked the opposition on Apr 08 vs MIL, generating a stellar +9.6 impact score alongside 18 points by relying on relentless rim-running and explosive off-ball cuts rather than forced isolation plays. Unfortunately, those flashes of brilliance were quickly erased by catastrophic lows, like his performance on Apr 12 vs IND. Costly turnovers and massive defensive bleeding dragged him to an abysmal -20.2 impact score in that contest, exposing the steep hidden costs of his erratic decision-making.

Jaden Ivey spent this midseason stretch battling his own irrelevance, floating through empty-calorie bench minutes before a brief starting promotion forced him to actually engage. During a dismal reserve outing on 01/25 vs SAC, he tallied 11 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting, yet dragged his team down with a -6.5 Impact score. That stark negative rating stemmed from his complete tunnel vision and poor defensive effort, as he failed to record a single assist while giving up easy looks on the other end. The slump hit rock bottom on 01/29 vs PHX with a scoreless, seven-minute cameo that yielded an abysmal -9.2 Impact. Given a sudden lifeline in the starting lineup, Ivey finally flipped the script on 02/09 vs BKN. Despite shooting a lackluster 3-for-8 from the floor for 13 points, he posted a stellar +8.0 Impact by crashing the glass for six rebounds, distributing three assists, and locking in defensively to generate crucial value without the ball.

This brutal twenty-game stretch was defined by a crippling shooting slump that rendered Caris LeVert nearly unplayable off the bench. The absolute nadir arrived on 03/13 vs MEM. He forced terrible looks all night, finishing with just four points on a dismal 2-of-10 from the floor. Clanking all five of his three-point attempts dragged his overall impact to a disastrous -16.8. He briefly snapped out of his funk on 03/19 vs WAS, pouring in an efficient 14 points alongside six assists. By letting the game come to him rather than chucking heavily contested jumpers, he earned a rare +5.6 impact score. Take his gritty outing on 04/10 vs CHA for a glimpse of his alternative value. Despite scoring only six points on ugly 2-of-7 shooting, he managed to scrape out a +0.1 impact by digging in defensively and keeping the ball moving with three assists.

Marcus Sasser's late-season stretch was defined by a brutal offensive slump and passive play that steadily erased his spot in the rotation. During the 03/26 vs NOP matchup, his erratic shot selection resulted in a dismal 3-for-11 shooting night and a steep -12.2 Impact score. Two nights later on 03/28 vs MIN, he swung to the opposite extreme. He refused to take a single shot in 11 minutes of action, logging a -11.0 Impact score because his complete lack of offensive aggression allowed the defense to totally ignore him. Even when his jumper briefly returned, his overall floor game dragged him down. He poured in a stretch-high 12 points on 4-of-6 from deep on 03/30 vs OKC, yet still posted a -4.8 Impact because he offered virtually nothing in terms of rebounding or defensive resistance. When a backup guard becomes a complete liability on both ends of the floor, his playing time inevitably evaporates.

This late-season stretch was defined by sheer offensive futility and hollow minutes at the end of the rotation. Chaz Lanier looked completely lost on the floor, forcing bad shots in limited action while offering zero playmaking to compensate. Look no further than 03/12 vs PHI, where he went scoreless in just five minutes and clanked three shots to earn a brutal -13.9 impact score. Giving him a longer leash only magnified his struggles. During a 16-minute shift on 04/06 vs ORL, he shot a dismal 1-for-7 from the field and missed all four of his three-point attempts, dragging his impact down to -10.7 because his erratic shot selection actively derailed offensive possessions. Even on the rare night his jumper actually fell, like when he hit a pair of threes for six points on 03/26 vs NOP, his overall impact remained stubbornly negative at -3.4. He simply failed to generate any peripheral value, finishing that night with just one rebound and one assist, leaving his team exposed whenever he wasn't actively scoring.