Pistons head into the Grindhouse
By J.M. Poulard
Essentials
- Teams: Detroit Pistons (3-6) at Memphis Grizzlies (8-1)
- Date: November 15
- Time: 8:00 p.m.
- Television: FSD
Get in the Game
The Memphis Grizzlies currently hold the best record in the league and also happen to represent the best-case scenario of what the Detroit Pistons could one day become.
Indeed, the rosters are constructed fairly similarly in terms of personnel, which makes one wonder where the Pistons are eventually headed. Both units are built from the inside and then out. The interior players are the starting point for everything these teams do, and the guys on the perimeter complement the big people.
Furthermore, Memphis and Detroit have talented point guards who control the pace and get their teams into the offense.
Again, the types of players on these teams resemble each other in creepy ways with the exception of Andre Drummond. At age 21, Detroit’s starting big man is still developing as a center and must refine his skills before he can even approach the productivity of counterpart Marc Gasol.
Gasol seemingly does it all. He defends at a high level in all facets of the game such as the post play, pick-and-roll coverage and anchoring the paint.
On offense, Gasol does a good job in post-ups, pick-and-rolls, pick-and-pops and in the high post. His passing allows him to work as a hub for Memphis and dictate the direction of possessions.
Gasol’s is one of the league’s best big men, which could lead one to believe that he’s the biggest difference between Memphis and Detroit’s path.
Although Gasol’s presence is part of the equation, it’s not the entirety of the math. The Grizzlies have spent years as a group building up habits and an edge that borders on arrogance.
I’m not sure there is a more physically tough team in the league. The willingness to bang bodies and play the role of aggressor makes Memphis a good if not great team. The Grizzlies recognize their strengths and never deviate from them.
Year after year, they defend the paint, contest three-point shots, dominate the glass and force turnovers. Memphis has adopted its identity while Detroit is still searching for something to hang its hat on.
For instance, Mike Conley runs the show for the Grizzlies, but he’s not necessarily the team’s best player. His role requires him to get everyone involved, defend the opposing point guard and score when all else fails. Also, he’s the go-to option in late-game situations.
Things aren’t quite same for the Pistons. Point guard Brandon Jennings has been a volume shooter for most of his career, and that makes it tough to determine what kind of performance he will provide on a nightly basis.
He’s not a particularly steady floor general, which means the wrong guy will often end up having to shoot the ball from a bad spot on the floor. It bears mentioning that Jennings and Conley aren’t necessarily all that different as players.
Both are good penetrators and decent passers. Also, these point guards are good open shooters, which only serves to offer some confusion over the fact that Conley’s been a better player over the last few years.
Conley and Gasol highlight just what it is that makes the Grizzlies a superior team in contrast to the Pistons. Every player in Memphis is a tad better to the ones on the Detroit roster because the Grizzlies have a greater understanding for their roles and responsibilities after years of repetition.
Perhaps Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy eventually gets Detroit there, but it will take time. Sadly, Detroit’s clocks have been reset far too many times (coaching changes, trades and free agency) to believe that this iteration of the Pistons will morph into the Eastern Conference version of Memphis.
Read about the Grizzlies