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Yahoo!’s BDL talks Detroit Pistons 2016-17 outlook

By Braden Shackelford

Oct 15, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy talks to Detroit Pistons guard Ish Smith (14) during the first quarter of the preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy talks to Detroit Pistons guard Ish Smith (14) during the first quarter of the preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Yahoo! Sports’ BDL talks best and worse-case scenarios for the Detroit Pistons this season.

The Detroit Pistons had a lot going for them this offseason. For the first time in a long time, fans were quietly optimistic.

Then Reggie Jackson went down with knee tendinitis that is expected to sideline him until mid-December.

With Jackson out, what can we expect from the Pistons this season?

Yahoo! Sports’ BDL predicted the best and worse-case scenarios for the team.

BDL Via Yahoo! Sports:

"Steady play from Smith, improved playmaking from the wings and a stingier defense allows Detroit to stay around .500 while Jackson recuperates. Drummond makes half his free throws, starting to change the to-hack-or-not-to-hack decision-making math for opponents and helping him stay on the court. Detroit hits the gas once its point guard returns, riding a supercharged Reggie-Andre pick-and-roll, improved spot-up shooting and another year of SVG drilling to top-10 finishes in offensive and defensive efficiency.With their win total depressed by the early-season scuffling, the Pistons enter the postseason as a No. 6 or 7 seed. At full strength and in top gear, they upset a pair of Eastern powers to make the franchise’s first conference finals appearance since the Flip Saunders era, earning a rematch with LeBron’s Cavs and a chance to show just how much they’ve grown."

This is an agreeable best-case scenario.

So what does doom and gloom look like for the Pistons?

"The offense craters without Jackson at its controls. Even after his return, he never quite gets right either off the bounce or with his shot. The wing rotation of Harris, Johnson and Caldwell-Pope can’t pick up the shot-creation slack, as Detroit struggles to consistently produce enough points to win even slugfests.Drummond stagnates, failing to make consistent improvements as a free-throw shooter and team defender. Van Gundy continues to show reluctance to ride him late in games, raising questions as to just how reliable a cornerstone the center really is. The generally rising tide in the East creates a rip current that pulls the Pistons under. They dip back below .500 and miss the playoffs, introducing doubt about whether Detroit’s bet on the right horses to return to contention."

Unfortunately, this horrendous scenario is an accurate “worse-case” for the Pistons’ season.

I would be lying if I said I don’t think there will be some rust from Reggie Jackson once he finally returns. How long it takes him to get back at full strength depending on the play of Smith could really set the Pistons back.

Next: Carm-Elo rating weighs in on Pistons

Luckily, the surgery Jackson had on his knee has a high probability of success. In fact, Jackson himself has had success with the surgery, having already went through it once.

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