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Pistons viewed poorly in ESPN’s first BPI rankings

By Duncan Smith

AUBURN HILLS, MI - APRIL 24: A general view before Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons during the 2016 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2016 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Allen Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI - APRIL 24: A general view before Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons during the 2016 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2016 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Allen Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Detroit Pistons have been predicted within a narrow range of wins going into the season. ESPN’s BPI weighed in with its first ranking of the year.

The Detroit Pistons didn’t do much to earn anybody’s optimism last season, and they’re seeing the evidence of that in this season’s prognostications. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton’s Real Plus Minus projections gave them 35.1 wins (and a playoff spot), their Forecast Panel projected them at 37 wins with no playoff appearance, and the Westgate Las Vegas set their over-under at 37.5 wins.

Next up comes ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, or BPI. We’ll take a look at just what the BPI actually is.

"BPI is a forward-looking model that predicts the strength of each team on offense, defense and altogether. In making its game predictions, the model takes into account factors such as the strength of the two teams, the game’s location and rest differential between the two squads. BPI simulates the season 10,000 times to create its projections for both the season and the playoffs."

Essentially, BPI calculates how much better or worse a team is relative to an average team. At the top of the rankings, coming as no surprise, are the Golden State Warriors. They’re 5.6 points better on offense and 3.7 points better on defense for a rounded-up +9.4 BPI rating. The Chicago Bulls are at the bottom, a full 7.2 points worse than an average team.

The Pistons are on the bottom end of the middle, finishing 20th overall with a BPI rating of -1.4. This provides them a predicted 38 wins, and the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Next: Avery Bradley is more than just a defender for the Pistons

The Pistons didn’t earn the benefit of the doubt last season, and the questions surrounding Reggie Jackson‘s knee continue to swirl. Don’t expect them to get favorable reviews until (or unless) they actually earn them on the court once the season begins.

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