Auburn Hills — It’s a small sample size, but Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy has been pleased with how rookies Stanley Johnson and Darrun Hilliard have handled heavier workloads the past week.
After guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope suffered a core muscle strain Feb. 3, Johnson slid into the starting lineup the last three games, while Hilliard has seen an increased role off the bench.
Entering Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets, Johnson has averaged 13.7 points and eight rebounds in roughly 38 minutes during the three-game span. He had a career-high 22 points against the Knicks on Feb.