Dwane Casey and the Detroit Pistons only have 14 wins on the season. That number would be a lot less if Derrick Rose wasn't on the team.

Rose, who signed a two-year deal with the Pistons this past offseason, has become Detroit's closer since Blake Griffin wasn't himself when he played and is now out indefinitely after undergoing another surgery on his left knee.

The Pistons defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday behind 24 points and seven assists from Rose. The former MVP also hit the game-winning basket with 26.1 seconds left in regulation.

Casey, who has been starting Rose at the beginning of the third quarter lately so the Pistons don't get off to bad starts in the second half, says Rose is “a true point guard.”

“Derrick is a true point guard,” Dwane Casey said, via Will Gottlieb of Bleacher Report. “He does a good job of controlling things. When things get tough and we need a bucket, he gets one. And you gotta have that.”

Derrick Rose has appeared in 32 games for the Pistons this season. He’s averaging 17.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 33.0 percent from beyond the arc and 87.8 percent from the free-throw line.

The Pistons are 14-24, putting them in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. However, Detroit is only three games back of the Brooklyn Nets for the eighth and final playoff spot.

With Griffin out, making Rose the first option on offense moving forward could help the Pistons string some wins together and get in the playoff picture.