Andre Drummond Fuels Detroit Pistons' Fast Start with Dominant Rebounding Efforts
After Saturday's 108-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings, the Detroit Pistons have hit the season's 10-game mark with a winning record (7-3) for the first time in the last nine seasons, per Elias Sports Bureau (h/t ESPN.com).
At the forefront of the team's great, if not surprising, start is center Andre Drummond. Drummond has opened the year with 10 consecutive performances in which he's pulled down at least 12 rebounds. His success accumulating rebounds gives Drummond the second-longest streak of games with 12 or more boards to start the year over the last 35 seasons, per NBA.com.
Over the first 10 games, Drummond is averaging 14.7 rebounds per contest, second only to DeAndre Jordan (15.1). He's also posted 14.0 points per game to start the season, a slight jump from 2016-17's 13.6. He's also compiled a double-double in seven of the 10 contests.
While most of his marks thus far are similar to what the Pistons have come to expect from him, Drummond has shown terrific improvement from the free-throw line this season. Prior to the 2017 campaign, Drummond had converted free throws at an abysmal 38.1 percent clip across his first five seasons. After Detroit's first 10 games in 2017, he's shot 75.0 percent from the charity stripe.
Drummond and company will aim to continue their early success when the Pistons host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
