The Detroit Pistons’ 110-94 rout of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Cup opener saw Ron Holland II post a season-high.

Holland scored 18 points, 12 of them in the third quarter, showing the impact he can have off the bench for the Pistons and adding more weapons to Detroit’s arsenal.

But for Holland, this latest performance showed how he continues to grow in confidence.

Ron Holland II’s breakout

Heading into the NBA Cup game against Brooklyn, Holland openly admitted he'd struggled in his third NBA season, shooting just 28.6% from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts in the first five games.

However, his persistence was rewarded in emphatic fashion at Barclays Center.

Despite starting cold, Holland, like any good player, kept motoring on, never settling for a subpar night; he knew he was better than that.

Once he finally got his first field goal, the floodgates opened – especially in the third period, where he scored 12 points to pull Detroit away from Brooklyn and secure a convincing victory.

"I don’t let one, two, three games define me," Holland said.

"It’s a long season, different basketball, different ways I’m being guarded. I’m here to work, continue to get better and continue to grow with this team, grow as a player, grow as a man. I like where I’m at. I’ve got a long way to go and a lot of work to do, and I’m excited about it."

Being that disruptive impact off the bench

While his offensive contributions stole the spotlight, Holland’s value in head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s system still comes from his relentless energy and disruptive defensive presence.

He wreaked havoc on Brooklyn’s backcourt, recording a game-high four steals and adding a block in just 22 minutes of action.

Holland also posted an impressive +14 plus-minus, the best mark among Detroit’s reserves, while leading the second unit in scoring. His impact provided a much-needed spark whenever the starters stepped off the floor.

As the Pistons surge to a 5-1 start - their strongest opening stretch since the 2015-16 season - Holland is making a compelling case for himself as an increasingly important fixture in Detroit’s rotation.

"I think you saw the reaction from the group on the bench, how much we all love seeing it,” Holland’s teammate Duncan Robinson said.

“He earned it. Sometimes in this league you do all the right things and it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to come together. He’s had some really positive stretches that we’ve seen and it came into fruition into today.

“We expect a lot more of that. We all know the kid, the player that he is and what he’s capable of. When he plays with confidence, he’s a different player."