Pistons Forward Praises Teammates Following Big Scoring Outing
Of all the moves the Detroit Pistons made at the trade deadline, one has stood out above the rest. That being the acquisition of Simone Fontecchio from the Utah Jazz. Since coming over in a trade, the undrafted forward has had the best stretch of his young career.
On Friday night, the Pistons traveled to Miami to try and extend their winning streak to three games. With Ausar Thompson out due to illness, Monty Williams put Fontecchio in the starting lineup. He made the most of this opportunity, finishing with a team-high 24 points on 62.5% shooting from beyond the arc.
Despite this big night from Fontecchio, the Pistons weren't able to keep their momentum rolling in Miami. In the end, the Heat walked out with a 108-95 victory.
Friday marked the fourth time Fontecchio has surpassed the 20-point mark since joining the Pistons. After the game, he was asked what has led to his success with the group. Fontecchio said playing alongside guys like Cade Cunningham has made life easier for him on the floor.
"For me it’s easy to play with this group of guys," Fontecchio said. "They make everything easier for me, especially playing with Cade. Him being able to find the right guys off the pick-and-roll every time, him and JD finishing for him, helps me a lot."
With his massive uptick in production, Fontecchio has been one of the most under-the-radar pickups from this year's deadline. In 15 games with Detroit, he is averaging 15.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.7 APG (all career-highs). Most notably, Fontecchio is shooting 43.6% from beyond the arc on six attempts per game.
