Detroit Pistons: Brandon Knight Would Be Wise to Learn from Derrick Rose

The Detroit Pistons will have gotten the steal of the 2011 NBA Draft if their rookie point-guard Brandon Knight turns into half the point guard that Chicago Bulls floor-leader and reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose is.

Watching their respective teams square off at the Palace in Detroit, I couldn't help but draw comparisons between the two. 

I also couldn't help but get really excited for the future of Detroit Pistons basketball.

To be fair for both players, they are very different. And at this point, Knight is nowhere near the player Rose is, and that should be a given.

That being said, if there was one player that Knight should watch moving forward into his career, I dare say that Rose is a great option.

In his four NBA seasons, Rose has averaged 20.9 points, 6.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game.

He's highly regarded as the best point guard in the league, and what makes him so dangerous is his ability to beat you off the dribble or from the perimeter.

You can't fully defend Rose. You can't stop him. You can only slow him down.

Wouldn't it be nice to say this about Knight? 

Hopefully, he was taking notes.

Welcome to the Motown Breakdown

Last night: Bulls 99, Pistons 83.

With a two-game winning streak under their belts, perhaps there were a few that thought that the Pistons might be able to pull out a win against one of the league's best teams.

Instead, former longtime-Piston Richard "Rip" Hamilton and reigning league MVP Derrick Rose came into the Palace and played a game of cat-and-mouse with the Pistons.

At times, it looked like Detroit had a shot, but we all knew what the final product would be in the end.

In his away-team debut, Hamilton put up 14 points and five assists, while Rose had a modest double-double with 17 points and 10 assists.

Greg Monroe led the way for the Pistons with his own double-double, garnering 19 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high five assists. He continues to develop a post presence and is growing as the Pistons' big-man down-low.

Jonas Jerebko picked up an active 13 points and four rebounds, while Will Bynum and Damien Wilkins came off the bench for ten points apiece.

Piston Points

Stuckey Hurting: Pistons.com writer Keith Langlois reported via Twitter that Rodney Stuckey had a sore left groin. Brandon Knight started the second half. This doesn't seem to be anything serious, but it's something worth noting.

Will The Thrill: There was a point in the fourth quarter where the Pistons were making a "run," and that was led by the one and only Will Bynum. He displayed the play-making ability we all know he possesses, and I dare say that he made a case for more playing time.

Knight Watch: It's nothing to be concerned about, but the Pistons rookie had a bad game with just four points on 2-of-9 shooting. This is something to be expected, but it would sure be nice to see him play up to his potential.

Frank the Tank

Thoughts from coach Frank via NBA.com:

"

"We had shots at the rim and shots in the paint that we couldn't convert, and many of those turned into their transition opportunities." 

"

Breakdown

Knight having and off night is nothing to get concerned about if you're a Pistons fan. Keep in mind that he's playing against some high-level players for the first time in his life, and it's going to take him some time to get used to that.

That being said, he showed us that he has the talent in the home opener, earning with 23 points and six assists, so performances like that should be the eventual par for the rookie.

He couldn't have had a better player to watch than Chicago's Derrick Rose. One could only hope that he really studied the way Rose ran the offense.

What makes Rose so dangerous is his ability to drive and make plays in the lane, but he can also shoot it from range.

Believe it or not, that description reminds me of the good that I've seen from Knight.

Hopefully, that will become a common comparison as time goes on.

Looking Forward: Pistons vs. 76ers, January 6 at 7:00pm EST

You have to believe that this will be a winnable game for the Pistons, but it's not going to be an easy task.

The 76ers have a very dangerous player in Andre Iguodala, who's averaging 16.8 points, five assists and 6.5 rebounds per game. And he can be a force upfront with Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes.

The Pistons' biggest issue may be guarding Jrue Holiday, who's averaging 15.5 points, 2.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Detroit's going to have to have a total team-effort to win this game on the road. Monroe will have to continue establishing himself down-low, and they will need Ben Gordon to lead the way and get hot from the field.