Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Charlie Villanueva finally has it figured out as an NBA player. Even if the shots don’t fall, he can still be a valuable contributor for the Detroit Pistons.
Villanueva and his coach, Lawrence Frank, are determined this on Wednesday after a loss to the Boston Celtics.
He played for more than 23 minutes and Villanueva’s shooting from the floor was horrible. He was 2-of-17 in field goals and 0-of-8 in 3-pointers and scored four points. That would seem enough to have Frank take Villanueva out of the lineup for the rest of the season,
“He rebounded the ball and you think about the energy, some of the passes he made…and that’s how when you have a shooter you just think over the course of time that the law of averages is gonna come and it just,” Frank said. “He had some great looks, it just didn’t fall.”
In the past, Villanueva has let his poor shooting nights rattle him for other games. However, he’s a different player with a maturity who doesn’t let slumps get in his way.
“Just a rough night for me offensively. Couldn’t buy a basket,” Villanueva said. “Seemed like there was a lid on the rim for me. Got some good looks, just missed them, and my teammates did a great job of finding me and keep finding me and I give them all the praises. I feel like I let them down.”
Villanueva doesn’t have to feel too guilty. He’s not the only player who’s been letting the Pistons down this season.
