3-on-3: What have the Detroit Pistons shown us in 2015?

1. With just over a quarter of the season done, the Pistons sit at 16-12. That number is surprising to some, and an expectation to others. Are you surprised to see them off to such a solid start?

Braden Shackelford: This is surprising, because I didn’t know how long it would take for this team to gel. I expected the Pistons to compete for a playoff spot in the 6-8 range (they’re currently No. 8), but I also didn’t know the East was going to be this good this soon.  I knew this team had potential with Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond. I thought that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could take a big step this season, but I didn’t think he’d be this good defensively. To me, it was just a matter of “when” with this team, because the pieces were there. I’m really excited to see where this team goes if Brandon Jennings can come back and play at even 80 percent of what he was last season.

Brady Fredericksen: I’m not surprised, but I also am. I don’t think they’ve been amazing, but I think they’ve shown flashes of the legitimately good team they could be if things go right — and they’ve shown the kind of team they could be if things go wrong. The little surprise I’ve had is how big Marcus Morris has been on both ends of the floor. I think the success of the starting five is kind of what I expected. This team is still inconsistent, but you can see the effort becoming more consistent. And that’s why the big lulls are becoming more uncommon.

Duncan Smith: I’m definitely surprised. I expected them to be a bit below .500 most of the season, digging an early-season hole due to their tough schedule and then mostly treading water for the majority of the rest of the season. Being 16-12 is definitely beyond my greatest expectations for the Pistons at this point. I don’t know what to expect going forward, because I can’t shake the suspicion that they’re playing a bit over their head, but they have this record in spite of what has been a shaky offensive start and some career-low production from some of their shooters. I’m starting to believe (God help me).

2. While the Pistons’ offensive potential was all the rage during the offseason, it’s been the defense that’s keyed Detroit’s early success. What do you make of this team having a top 10 defense and bottom 10 offense?

Shackelford: I think this illustrates just how good the Pistons can be. Their offense is slowly coming along and should only improve as the season goes along. The Pistons have some really good scorers in Marcus Morris, Reggie Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Andre Drummond– it’s just a matter of how consistent they are. Brandon Jennings is the x-factor that could take the Pistons’ offense to another level with how bad the bench has been this season.

Fredericksen: I’m still trying to figure out how this defense has been this good. The offense, I understand why it’s so low. The Pistons opened the season throwing up enough bricks to help the Red Wings build that new arena downtown. But a lot of that was guys — Morris, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anthony Tolliver — shooting well below their career averages. It’s the defensive evolution of Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond, plus Caldwell-Pope’s emergence as more than just a potentially good defender, that has been the biggest shocker. Factor in how solid Morris has been on defense with Stanley Johnson’s early success and you’ve got a team playing good defense with its offense really coming on. That’s a good combo as the schedule begins to tighten up.

Smith: Well, the offense has underwhelmed in the grand picture so far, but over the last ten games they’ve actually produced at a high level. They’re scoring 104.8 points per 100 possessions in their last ten, whichi is eighth in the NBA, and they’re playing at the seventh-fastest pace in the NBA with 99.30 possessions per game. A lot of this improvement has to do with new reigning Player of the Week Reggie Jackson’s recent play, and it stands to reason that the shooters are starting to return to levels that their career numbers would indicate. This possibly improved offense, combined with a solid and grinding defense, is one of the biggest indicators to me that this could be a team that should win in the high-40s this year.

3. It’s been a group effort early on, but Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson have been the catalysts. Which player has been more impressive to you, so far?

Shackelford: This is a tough question, but I’m going to go with Drummond. Jackson averaging 20 points a game doesn’t surprise me. He worked hard on his shot this season, and in my opinion, he’s one of the best guards in the NBA at getting to the basket and finishing. He also has the ball in his hands every position so you knew he was going to have a bunch of scoring opportunities. But Drummond had some big question marks heading into the season: Could he consistently score with his back to the basket? Could he develop second and third moves when the defense takes away his first move? Could he take the most difficult step in basketball and go from good to great? He answered all of those questions with his play so far–though he still has more work to do. He trimmed down in the offseason and it’s made a big difference in his energy level on both ends of the floor. He’s also done a good job of avoiding early foul trouble for the most part. Drummond went from a 13 and 13 player to an 18 and 17 player. That’s amazing, and it gives the Pistons something that no other team has. I’m also impressed with the leadership he’s taken off the court, developing close bonds with pretty much every player on the team, and taking Stanley Johnson in after his mom died. He’s everything the Pistons could have hoped for, and maybe even more. The sky is truly the limit for Drummond.

Fredericksen: Jackson. I thought Drummond would break out — maybe not to this level — but I really did think he’d show improvement both as a defender and scorer. I didn’t know Jackson would pick up where he left off last season. I think he’s been the Pistons most valuable player based on the drop in talent behind in at point guard without Brandon Jennings. The team goes where he goes most nights, but he’s been so consistent that it’s been a good formula. The Pistons would really need to make a jump in the standings, I think, but it’s hard to leave Jackson off the All Star team if the game were tomorrow.

Smith: So far, Jackson has been more impressive to me. Drummond is a beast and the start he got off to was nothing short of spectacular, but if this team had to move on with only one of the two, it’s gotta be Jackson. He’s playing the best ball of his career, and in part due to the fact that the weakest point of the bench is at backup point guard, his time on the floor is essential to the Pistons. They are outscored by 8.6 points per 100 possessions when he is off, and outscoring their opponents by 7.6 points per 100 when he is on.