Ron Holland, Marcus Sasser lead failed rally as Detroit Pistons fall to Knicks, 91-90

The Detroit Pistons got promising performances from their rookie duo once again on Friday night as their third comeback attempt in as many games fell short.

The Pistons lost to the New York Knicks at Las Vegas Summer League on Friday, 91-90. They trailed by 20 points in the third quarter before No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland and second-year guard Marcus Sasser combined for 17 points in the fourth. The Pistons fell just short of a win as Sasser's midrange jumper at the final buzzer missed. Holland set a Summer League career high with 20 points (8-for-19 shooting), six rebounds and two blocks. Sasser added 24 points.

Bobi Klintman, the Pistons' second-round pick, had another strong all-around game, with nine points, eight rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. He made impressive reads and continued his run as the most consistent playmaker on the roster.

The Pistons (2-2) will wrap up their Summer League run on Sunday against an opponent to be announced.

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Holland continues to show promise as off-ball scorer

The rookie forward saved his best for last. Holland scored 10 of his 20 points in the final period, as the Pistons narrowed a 20-point deficit to a single point with 30 seconds remaining. After a cold stretch in the third, he found a rhythm as an off-ball mover and helped spark the late run. 

Six of his 10 points were on drives or cuts to the rim, and the remaining four were in transition. He knocked down a hook and then pushed the pace in transition for a one-handed dunk on consecutive plays. With 3 minutes remaining, he scored on back-to-back plays again — Klintman found him on a fast break for an alley-oop dunk, and he drove baseline and hit a hanging layup over a defender. 

His first bucket came early in the first quarter, cutting to the rim for a layup after he got back on defense. Midway through the second quarter, he knocked down an open 3-pointer from the left wing — his second make from 3 in Vegas. Holland added a highlight before halftime, driving baseline and finishing through contact before completing the free throw. 

There were rookie moments as well, such as when he declined an open 3 in the third quarter only to step out of bounds while driving past Knicks 7-footer Ariel Hukporti. But it was his most complete game in Vegas yet, as he consistently pressured the rim with his athleticism and hustle while leading a late comeback bid. 

Holland’s shooting remains a work in progress, as he went 0-3 on 3s in the second half. He’s a capable play-finisher already, though, and thrives running in transition and catching defenders off-guard with timely cuts. 

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Sasser finds shooting touch

It had been a rough summer league for the second-year guard, who entered Friday shooting 28.6% overall and 21.4% from 3 through three games. It took him a while to get going against the Knicks, but it ended up being his best night in Vegas, after he found his rhythm in the second half. 

Sasser entered halftime with 10 points, but that was on just two field goals in seven tries. He made up the difference at the line, making six of seven free throws. A floater over the top of the defense late in the third quarter appeared to loosen him up, and he closed the period with a pull-up jumper from midrange. 

It set up a big fourth quarter, as he scored seven points in the final period and brought the Pistons within one with a 3-pointer at the 3-minute mark. He couldn’t get the game-winning attempt at the buzzer to fall, but he made four of five attempts in the second half before missing two in the final minute. 

He was still turnover-prone, coughing the ball up four times after averaging three through the first three games. Otherwise, Sasser looked more like the confident scoring guard we saw through much of his rookie season.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.