Defense not offense to propel Detroit Pistons to playoffs
According to head coach Stan Van Gundy, if the Detroit Pistons make the playoffs, it will be because of defense not offense.
The Detroit Pistons’ offense has really clicked of late, averaging 107.9 points over their last seven games. Can the Detroit Pistons make the playoffs with that type of offensive production, even if their defense has taken a step back?
"“No,” Van Gundy says, no time needed to ponder the possibility. “Nope. We will not be able to.”“I think for us to make any kind of serious push for a playoff spot, we’re going to have to defend a lot better than we have been. If we’re not going to defend, we’ll get a win here or there, maybe, but we’re not going to get enough to get ourselves into the playoffs. I really think for us, it’s either we defend or we’ll bow out of that race fairly quickly.”"
Van Gundy is right. While the offense has been on a tear over the last seven games, their defense has given up an average 111 points per game. Frankly, their defense is close to non-existent right now.
So how do the Pistons rectify their defensive woes?
According to Van Gundy, it’s not all about physical gifts, but also staying focused.
"Good defensive teams, Van Gundy says, have something more important in common than the physical attributes scouts covet. It’s the elimination – or the minimization, at least – of points created by lapses in coverage or turnovers or other correctable errors.“It’s not just being able to go out there and play your man and lock people down,” he said. “It’s the number of mistakes that you make.”“I had J.J. Redick in Orlando – not a real athletic guy, not great size for his position,” he said. “People could score on him some one on one, but I always felt like he was a really good defender and you could have a really good defensive team with him because he made almost no mistakes. It was so rare for him to make a mistake. Wherever he was supposed to force his guy, he did it. He didn’t give up layups because he didn’t rotate. Those are the kind of guys you can build a really good defense around. We’ve got to be better in that area.”"
Van Gundy hit the nail on the head in his explanation. Looking at the Pistons’ starters, athletically, they should have very little issues guarding teams– especially with two above average defenders in Marcus Morris and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
All of the Pistons starters have really good length and enough athleticism to at least play solid defense–and yet they struggle.
Part of that is due to the youth of the team, or more specifically, basketball I.Q., but the other part of the problem is effort—and I’m not sure the Pistons give great effort for 36 minutes a game.
I think the more this team grows together and builds continuity, the better they’ll understand how to play off of each other defensively. I also think the more they play, the better their basketball I.Q.—anticipation, playing the passing lanes, help defense, etc–will be.
But for now, the Pistons simply need more consistent effort on the defensive end if they hope to make the playoffs this season.