Full article at link, beginning of each reason below.
Defense has improved, substantially
Entering Wednesday’s 131-11 loss in Memphis, the Pistons ranked 12th in defensive rating at 111.9, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s the most drastic area of improvement for the team, a significant increase from last season’s 25th-ranked mark of 118.
Young players find roles
Jaden Ivey’s game-winner against the Toronto Raptors Monday shined a spotlight on his improved play in year 3. It’s been a career season for Ivey thus far, averaging career-highs in points (18.4), field goal percentage (44.7%) and 3-point percentage
Room for growth
Outside shooting, an annual offseason priority, is another area the Pistons have also routinely fallen short in. They ranked bottom-nine in 3-point percentage for four straight seasons before this one. So far, they haven’t shown much growth from last season.
I agree with much of the article. Defense is better overall. Still leaving 3 point shooters too wide open. Also they Don’t do enough to keep the ball away from other team’s hot shooters - especially down the stretch. Beasley is a decent shooter but can be maddeningly inconsistent. Harris looks to be a shell of his former self. Holland looks like he belongs. Not much growth yet in Duren and Ivey and I’d be ok if Stewart was shipped out. Cade needs to trade in his vag for an actual rod. Hurt way too often and is a liability late in the 4th quarter. He does some disastrously awful things late in games. Overall though it’s a much better product to watch. Bickerstaff seems so much than Monte…but then again, who wouldn’t?
Cade and Ivey found a rhythm this year. Hardaway and Harris can both hit 3’s and Duren is a constant lob threat and a threat on the offensive glass. Beasley is scorer with unit 2, and holland and Ausar are crazy athletes with energy. Font and Stew can play D, shoot 3 a bit and rebound solidly.
The young guys needed to grow up a bit, but the coach and Tobias, Hardaway and Beasley filled in the cracks. I see a 7 seed
They finally added a few viable veterans to support their talented youth, and did so in a way that didn’t feel completely temporary. Guys like Burks and Bogey felt like they were on the trade block for almost nothing, 5 minutes after they signed. We kept signing Vets to shitty deals that we and they knew wouldn’t be here, and then we kept trading to take in bad contracts, but got little in return? Tobias, Beasley, and THJ are all playing with a bit of moxie.
Now they Cade and Ivey are 20 year olds, their talent is allowing them to develop into really nice NBA players, and even a superstar in Cades case. Now if we could get either Holland or Ausar to turn into one more legit 2 way player worthy of 28-30 minutes next year… we could be in really solid shape
No Sheed on your list? A stretch 4 would be a huge addition. If they could find a new Rasheed Wallace they could be contenders in the east. I recoil into my couch every time Beef Stew is cocking the hammer on another ill advised three-pointer.
Dirk and Durant are stretch 4s with size, but Sheed is a different flavor that bears mentioning. He isnt anywhere near the pure scorer those guys are (hes no slouch, but he would be behind each jf these guys by a good margin) but his defense is a big level over each as well
I think it’s a testament to how well Cade is playing this year (and Beasley’s shooting and Ivey when he has one of his good games) that the team is 14-17 despite playing handicapped at the 3-5 starting positions every night. THJ-Harris-Duren is a dogs breakfast starting trio. Bring in merely average NBA players at those or at least one above average starter and this team is battling for the 5th-6th spot as opposed to the 8th-10th spot. An All Star level 4 and the Pistons could be battling for top 4 in the east but much easier said than done to acquire that guy.
I think the lack of talent at starter will eventually catch up to them but for now the team is a joy to watch. Cade should be a lock for the All Star game but since it’s a fan vote and the Pistons are irrelevant there’s a chance he might not.
Not sure if anyone caught the game last night, but Duren got called for back to back lane violations on missed free throws. I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone called for a single lane violation in the NBA. It’s literally been years. Ref checked him up on back to back free throws. Crazy. It reminded me of the two 4 quarter phantom hands-to-the-face penalties called on Flowers against Green Bay.
