The Detroit Pistons currently have a 22-19 record following a 32-50 record last season. The team is tied for third in the Central Division with the Indiana Pacers, and the Pistons also have the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference. This is all after finishing last in the division a year ago and ending the season at 12th in the conference. The team was in need of a change, and many things have changed for the Pistons.
Head coach Stan Van Gundy was brought into the organization last season to rebuild a franchise that had won titles and competed in several conference championships. Van Gundy’s team had some struggles, but a trade for Reggie Jackson revitalized the Pistons after Brandon Jennings went down with an injury. It wasn’t enough to propel them to the playoffs, but the direction of the team had begun to take shape.
This season, the team built on its momentum from last year with the continued ascension of Jackson and Andre Drummond. Drummond, who is averaging 17.6 points and 15.5 rebounds per game, has taken his game to a level that warrants All-Star consideration. Jackson has exceeded expectations with his 19.4 points and 6.6 assists per game. Jackson and Drummond are one of the best point guard-center combinations in the league which has paid dividends for the Pistons.
The Pistons also have a solid starting five outside of Drummond and Jackson. The team acquired Ersan Ilyasova to be a power forward who could shoot from the perimeter, and he has done so admirably (shooting 37.8 percent from three-point range). The Pistons also got Marcus Morris in a trade with the Phoenix Suns, and he has averaged 14 points per game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has gotten better, but he also needs to improve his three-point shooting.
There was a point in the season last year where the Pistons didn’t have a single small forward on the team. As a result, the organization decided to draft Stanley Johnson. Johnson has an NBA body, but he is shooting only 37.4 percent from the field. Although the Pistons have a very good starting lineup, they have one of the worst benches in the league. If Johnson wants to be the small forward of the future, he has to become more reliable as a shooter.
Van Gundy has turned the Pistons into the Orlando Magic team he used to coach. That Magic team made the NBA Finals and was a conference threat for several years. Even though the Pistons are rising, the team is relatively young. There is much they still need to learn and a possible playoff appearance will only help.
Grade: B+
