After years of misery, Detroit finally has a basketball team worth watching.
The Pistons, coming off a franchise-worst 14-win season last year, are watchable again.
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This is huge.
Listen, I sat through the Stan Van Gundy era, the Blake Griffin era, I even let Troy Weaver cook, and all that came out was a burnt turkey. The Pistons have been a brutal watch for more than a decade.
But now, under new leadership, the Pistons are fun -- and they might just win some games.
It all starts with the shift in team culture. Firing Troy Weaver and Monty Williams was just the beginning. Finding the right replacements was the next step. And early on, it looks like new team president Trajan Langdon and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff were smart choices.
Langdon spent money on not just veteran players, but veterans who can play, and even start, with a focus on improved shooting. Bickerstaff has a track record of developing young talent, from his days in Cleveland and several years as an assistant.
The combination of experience, real development and a different type of leadership from the front office down has proven real results on the court. As of this writing, Detroit has won seven games already -- a feat not reached until February last season. It may sound like a small benchmark, but for a team that has finished in last place for four straight years, it’s a sign of life.
The best sign that the coaching change was the right move is the defense. The Pistons rank 6th in defensive rating, 4th in rebounding, 6th in points allowed, and have allowed the 4th fewest second-chance points.
Detroit’s offense is still a work in progress, and turnovers are still plaguing the team’s young core, but the defense is keeping them afloat, enough to win games.
Cade Cunningham has leveled up his game yet again, with multiple triple-doubles in the early season, bolstered by real shooting threats on the wings with Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, Jaden Ivey and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Ivey, benched last year by Monty Williams, has been a huge part of the team’s early success, along with the front court, led by Jalen Duren, and Isaiah Stewart.
It’s still early, but in a weak Eastern Conference, the Pistons could find themselves in the mix for a playoff spot. But I won’t get ahead of myself just yet. I’m just happy to watch a team that can compete to win every night.
Yes, the bar was that low. Go Pistons.