Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons

Rookie Ebuka Okorie's ball-handling drew a Kyrie Irving comparison from Ausar Thompson, and Ronald Holland II signed on after Okorie's big moment in the Pistons' Oct. 5 game: "I just seen AT compare him to Kyrie Irving, his handles. And I can agree with that."

Oso Ighodaro started at center for the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 5. Coach Jordan Ott's reason: "Oso was really good last year. Top 10 defensive center." He said lineups will change: "trying to figure out who plays with who, that's what this is all about right now."

Dillon Brooks handled the ball less by design for the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 5, playing as a catch-and-shoot option. "We just want Dillon to be Dillon," coach Jordan Ott said postgame. Injuries in January had required more of Brooks with the ball, Ott said.

Phoenix's starters sat the second half by design. "We wanted to play all their minutes in the first half," Jordan Ott said, building conditioning and keeping players healthy. Kennedy Chandler's fourth-quarter minutes were "off script": pressure demanded an extra ball handler.

Ausar Thompson should have the ball more as Detroit's "lead dog," J.B. Bickerstaff said Oct. 5. He opened the second half with a Thompson-led unit he said had space, shooting and size. "We believe like if he takes a jump, our team is going to take a jump."

John Collins is playing both power forward and center for Detroit, and Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the staff is still sorting out lineups by position, citing his "ability to stretch the floor." He also praised Collins' toughness in a first-quarter dust-up.

"I want to be a Detroit Piston for life," Jalen Duren said, calling the summer's talk about him rumors and false narratives: "I've never spoken to anyone in the media." His contract process "took way longer than any of us really wanted," he said, and he is relieved it's over.