Pistons’ playoff hopes slipping further
By Dan Feldman
Before the Jose Calderon era has really gotten underway, the Pistons have drifted further out of playoff contention.
The Pistons are seven games back from the No. 8, and I’ve already explained how rare it is to make up fewer games in more time.
Here’s another way to view it:
ESPN projects the Celtics will claim the eighth seed with a 40-42 record. The formula doesn’t account for Rajon Rondo being out for the season (other than factoring in the games he’s already missed), but it also realize Andrew Bynum will return soon for the 76ers and that the Raptors just got Rudy Gay (again, other than factoring the games Gay has already played). So, a 40-42 record sounds about right.
For the Pistons to finish 40-42, they’d have to close the season on a 22-11 run. This group hasn’t shown they’re capable of doing that.
The last time the Pistons completed a 33-game run with 22 game wins? Jan. 4, 2009. For perspective, here are the players who suited up for Detroit during the stretch:
- Alex Acker
- Arron Afflalo
- Chauncey Billups
- Kwame Brown
- Will Bynum
- Richard Hamilton
- Jarvis Hayes
- Walter Herrmann
- Allen Iverson
- Amir Johnson
- Jason Maxiell
- Antonio McDyess
- Nazr Mohammed
- Ronald Murray
- Tayshaun Prince
- Walter Sharpe
- Rodney Stuckey
- Rasheed Wallace