The Detroit pistons have made a surprisingly strong start. Stan Van Gundy’s team won as many games at the beginning as they haven’t won for more than ten years and they also play attractive basketball. Only the audience numbers are a cause for some concern, despite the new arena.
During the off-season, a lot of changes were made to the pistons. The logo is reminiscent of more glorious Bad Boy’s times when Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman or Bill Laimbeer feared the League and drove the Chicago Bulls around Michael Jordan to despair. These are times that the franchise could only dream of.
The team still lacks a real star, but with a record of 10-3, Stan Van Gundy’s squad has hardly started since the 2005/06 season (10-2). Michigan should be in a good mood for departure. However, there is little sign of it.
Earlier this season, Detroit left the Palace of Auburn Hills to return to the heart of Motor City, in the brand new Little Caesars Arena. Nevertheless, many seats have remained empty lately. Only the Atlanta Hawks currently have a weaker utilization of their arena.
Even at the inauguration, the pistons couldn’t fill the place. Officially, LCA reported “sold out”at the season opener against Charlotte, but there were still numerous red seat shells on the stands. This may seem surprising at first glance, but not at the second. Since 1978, the pistons no longer played downtown, but in the rich suburbs of Pontiac and Auburn Hills.
The city of Detroit, on the other hand, was hit much harder by the economic crisis, so fewer people can afford the tickets. In addition, the move was not made public until spring. Old season ticket holders therefore had to react quickly if they did.
The current team deserves much more attention. Just two years ago, Detroit were still considered an up-and-coming team, who as the No. 8 seed in the playoffs set a scent mark, even though it ended up in a sweep in the first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James.
The weak past season, in which the postseason was missed a lot, caused disillusionment. All the more surprising is the start, which included defeating the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors in their living rooms. Detroit and the Dubs are currently the third-best team in the league after Boston and Houston.
During the off-season it was relatively quiet at Lake Michigan. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope did not even get an offer as a Restricted Free Agent and joined the Los Angeles Lakers. Avery Bradley, who came in exchange with Marcus Morris from the Boston Celtics – and has since turned out to be more than one of the summer’s steals – came as a replacement. On the one hand, it gives the team a much-needed plus in professionalism, and on the other hand, it is also strong in playing.
Defensively, Bradley is a clear upgrade to KCP and also offensively he makes much better. The former Celtic moves well away from the ball and can use screens much more effectively. His cuts also often surprise his opponents and make sure that the pistons’ offsets are less predictable than in the past. There is more movement in the actions, the attack varies, partly it even reminds of the motion offense of the Spurs in their better times.
“Everyone likes the fact that every player is involved,” said Van Gundy about the newly installed attack system. Our players are very unselfish and don’t need countless throws.”
Last season, Detroit was one of the league’s favourites in the offense, but they are now ranked 6th in the offensive rating (107.4 points to 100 possessions). With Reggie Jackson’s comeback, SVG and Ish Smith can now get solid to good point guard play for over 48 minutes with him and Ish Smith.
Jackson was a thorn in the eye of many pistons fans just last season. The former Thunder player was angry with his bad body language, but he was not really fit for the whole of last year. But now he is physically fit and doing a good job with an average of 16.3 points and 6.1 assists. His net rating also skyrocketed from -8.8 to 6.7.
Especially the chemistry with Center Andre Drummond is right. The Pick’ n’ Roll with the Big is a dangerous weapon, especially because Bradley and Tobias Harris have dangerous shooters on their wings waiting for the open threesomes. Harris has been ultra-hot since the beginning of the season and currently has a three-way rate of 50.6 percent, though at 6.4 tries per game.
His middistance play, on the other hand, is hardly ever present any more, which also applies to the entire team. Only 12.7 percent of the points are generated from the midrange (2016/17:20.9 percent). Morris was a candidate who wanted to be isolated in this zone and took his diplomas there.
So Drummond has more space under the basket. Gone are the days when he tried to create his litters in the post office. Instead, the center is increasingly being used on the bulb to create space for the cutting wing players with handoffs and a simultaneous screen. This is also how his new Career High in Assists (7 against the Atlanta Hawks) can be explained.
“I am happy about my new role,”said Drummond himself,”I am more involved, I can do plays, find my free co-players and put pressure on the defense,” the once phlegmatic Big brings much more energy and enjoyment to the game. It helps him to use his strengths in a more targeted manner.
Even more striking are his appearances on the free-throw line. The league was amazed when the former 38 percent shooter scuttled 14 out of 16 freebies against Milwaukee. Although he laid a decent egg against the Pacers (0/7 FT) again, his odds have so far remained in the mid-60s.
That would be perfectly okay, since historically there have been few such jumps in bad free-throwers.”I have to keep going,”Drummond said after the Indiana game.”I have to stay strong and mustn’t let myself be dragged down.”
The energy in our team is fantastic,”Drummond praised the mood after his victory over Heat,” We’re handling defeats and victories well. “We don’t get cocky, and we don’t let it hang over our heads.”
The bulb rarely hangs down in the past few weeks. After the Celtics, the pistons remain the hottest team in the East. Four more home games are now waiting for next week; four more opportunities to show the people in Detroit and the USA that it’s finally worth watching Pistons games live again.
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