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To put Andre Drummond's day in perspective, no NBA player has recorded 31 points, 19 rebounds and six steals in a game since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990 -- three years before Drummond was even born.
After the game, Mo Cheeks admitted that he didn't realize Drummond would be this good when he took the job. From Dave Pemberton of the Oakland Press:
VIDEO: #Pistons coach Mo Cheeks says he didn't know Andre Drummond was this good when he got Detroit job http://t.co/uEe1zcTNRI
— Dave Pemberton (@drpemberton) December 1, 2013
"Joe (Dumars) told me he was on an upswing like that but I didn’t know. I watched him a few times but I didn’t know he was going to be as good as he is now. But trust me, he reminds me every day, the double-doubles he has. He likes it. He enjoys rebounding a lot. He’s just a good kid."
The 76ers resorted to intentionally fouling Drummond in the third quarter, and Drummond was pulled after he made just three of 12 free throws in the period. Cheeks addressed the decision after the game (via the Associated Press):
"I left him in there long enough to see how well he was going to shoot, because he was having a great game, but there comes a point where you have to take him out," Cheeks said. "They broke the rhythm of the game -- that's why you do it -- and I didn't want that to keep happening."
Cheeks' message to Drummond during the game about the strategy (via Pistons.com):
"As I told him during the game, this is what makes you a better player. You have to become a better foul shooter because these are things that happen and these are things that get you taken out of the game. You become a better foul shooter, you can continue playing the whole time."
Cheeks on Drummond being compared to Moses Malone (via Pistons.com):
"I hope Moses (Malone) is not watching this press conference. I don’t remember Moses at 20. Moses was a relentless rebounder, particularly on the offensive end and could post the ball and score the ball as well. I’m not going to compare him to Moses at this point because Moses is obviously a Hall of Famer and helped me win my only championship. I love Andre (Drummond) but Moses is my guy. I don’t think we’re going to talk about him in that category just yet. I think, as I said, Andre is really on the upswing as we can see, the way he plays. He plays with the fire in the game and he’s 20 years old. He’s just a kid. He’s got a lot of basketball left."
Cheeks on Drummond's improving post game:
VIDEO: #Pistons coach Mo Cheeks says Andre Drummond is progressing with his post moves http://t.co/neGlDK4X6y
— Dave Pemberton (@drpemberton) December 1, 2013
Cheeks comments transcribed from the video above:
He probably could be our best post-up player. Because when he catches the ball, he makes it easy now -- before he was doing two or three different things. Now, he kind of just takes his time, he has one shot, a jump shot. And I think as he gets more comfortable shooting the ball under the basket with a post-up move, we'll run more plays for him.
Drummond finished the game shooting 12-of-15 from the field and is now shooting 63.6 percent from the field on the season.