The Detroit Pistons are Better Than You Think
If you aren’t from Detroit, the chances are you haven’t watched the Detroit Pistons play basketball lately, and why would you? They’re 15-46, 2nd worst in the east and 3rd worst in the league. Up until the All-Star break, they were hard to watch, but lately, they’ve been a thorn in the side of any team they come across that’s trying to clinch a playoff berth. They’ve fought hard all year long, never giving up until the final buzzer, but now they’re competing with good teams as well as…beating them. The Pistons are clutching up close games against good teams that on paper, they should be losing. This is a small sample size of the past four games, but the question must be asked; are the Pistons in the beginning stages of figuring themselves out? We already know Jerami Grant is a bucket, but what else has been going on in the 313?
Cade Cunningham
He’s been progressing throughout the entire year, but I’ve noticed that lately he’s beginning to understand that he needs to be a leader on this team. He’s taking the big-time shots, he’s been running the floor in late stretches, and he’s been vocal. Has Cade been the most efficient? No, not really. The thing to remember here is that he’s becoming efficient enough to have the confidence to do it. This is a big steppingstone for him, as well as the entire Pistons team.
Saddiq Bey
Lights out baby. Saddiq Bey has been on fire recently. He does have that one game every week where he only makes one shot, but overall, he’s been balling out, averaging 18 PPG in his last 10 games. He’s become a lot more confident in his shot, I’ve seen this man let it fly a lot more lately, and he’s knocking them down! It’s not like he’s throwing up bricks left and right, he’s hitting big time shots. Having Saddiq become a consistent scorer is another reason the Pistons don’t look as lost as they once did.
Isaiah Stewart
Absolute dog. You couldn’t ask for a better player to represent Detroit than Isaiah Stewart. You might know him as the guy who tried fighting through an entire team while bleeding just to kill LeBron James after being fouled by him, but what you may not have known is that this 20-year-old 6’8 guy is an absolute beast in the paint with his defense, rebounds, blocks, put-backs, dunks, heart, and effort. His averages are up, but more importantly, he understands his role on this team. He knows his assignment, and he’s doing it respectfully well.
Marvin Bagley III
Acquired at the trade deadline, Marvin Bagley was having a horrific year in Sacramento, but to his defense…it’s Sacramento. He wanted out and the kings wanted him gone, and as a rebuilding team, Detroit figured “why not?” Bagley is only 22 years old, was the third pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and has loads of potential. He hasn’t played much for the pistons so far, but he looks like himself again. On top of that, his teammates are finding him at the rim and have been utilizing him very well. For some reason, it felt like when the Pistons brought him in it gave the whole team a boost of energy. It reminds me of how directly after Orlando traded for Markelle Fultz (despite not playing) the Magic went ballistic. I feel like bringing in a young guy with loads of potential into a rebuilding team sets off some crazy chemical reaction that inspires teams to start playing well.
The Verdict
This season won’t result in playoffs or play-ins for the Detroit Pistons, but this second half of the season gives them more time to keep building on something good. Plain and simple, Detroit looks respectable out there lately, and you can tell they’re in the early stages of finding their identity. Although a winning season may not come for a few more years, I think Detroit is in a much better spot than a lot of teams out there. Watch out for them.