Pistons look to maintain success against struggling Mavericks

The Detroit Pistons (17-13) are back to their winning ways as of late. Contributions from unlikely characters have provided a much-needed boost. Expect more of the same Wednesday night, when the Pistons visit the floundering Dallas Mavericks (8-23). Here are three storylines to watch out for.

They’re back – sort of.

After dropping seven straight games to start the month of December, the Detroit Pistons have rattled off three consecutive victories.

Not all of them were in convincing fashion, and two came against clubs with losing records.

But those are the games that Detroit is supposed to win. They’ve actually done a nice job vanquishing inferior opponents this season. Take a look at this stat from NBA.com’s John Schuhmann:

The Pistons visit the Dallas Mavericks tonight at the American Airlines Center. Given that Dallas is 15 games under .500, Schuhmann’s tweet bodes well for Detroit. The Mavericks are also 2-8 in their last 10 games.  Tip-off is slated for 8:30pm on Fox Sports Detroit.

Here are the three biggest storylines heading into tonight’s contest.

1. A Bullish Bullock

When word got out last week that Stan Van Gundy would start Reggie Bullock in place of Stanley Johnson, Pistons fans weren’t exactly thrilled. Some (including yours truly) saw it as a mistake.

And that assumption couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Since entering the starting lineup on Dec. 12, Bullock has averaged 12.8 points per game while shooting 65 percent from the floor. This included a team-high 20 points in Sunday’s 114-110 win over the Orlando Magic.

Bullock’s recent surge can be attributed to a number of factors.

Perhaps the most obvious is his increase in minutes. In the past four games, the small forward has averaged 27.5 minutes a night. That’s more than double what he averaged (14.4) in his first 12 games this year.

An increase in opportunity will naturally lead to an increase in scoring. As a starter, you have much more time to settle into the game and find your groove. This was the case in the Orlando game on Sunday.

Most of his buckets came off of catch-and-shoot opportunities. In the video above, there is no hesitation in his shooting motion (as noted by television analyst Greg Kelser). It’s all in sync: stance, catch, elevate, release and follow-through.

Sometimes, all a shooter needs is to see the ball go in hoop. Bullock shot 8 for 10 from the floor against the Magic, including 4 for 6 from beyond the arc.

His scoring ability off the dribble isn’t reliable, and that’s alright. Detroit has plenty of players who can penetrate and finish at the rim. Bullock is the ideal shooter in a drive-and-kick scenario. That’s all Van Gundy needs him to be. Look for the Pistons to set him up on the perimeter tonight.

2. Dennis the Menace

According to Earl K. Sneed of Mavericks.com, rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. will return to the court tonight against the Pistons:

Prior to his Dec. 7 injury, Smith Jr. had started all 23 games for the Mavericks. The 20-year-old is averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He’s also shooting 40 percent from the floor.

Smith Jr. is best known for his electrifying slam dunks. His speed makes him a serious threat, even without the ball. Guards who aren’t knock down shooters have to find other ways to produce. For an example, check out the video below.

Smith Jr. is standing unguarded at the top of the key. He notices that the New Orleans Pelicans have left the lane wide open. Smith Jr. then makes a basket cut inside, receives the pass from Nerlens Noel, and finishes with an uncontested jam.

In the next video, Smith Jr. displays his decision making as a ball handler. It’s a classic case of reacting to what the defense is giving you.

As he receives a pick from Harrison Barnes, Smith Jr. catches Patty Mills going under the screen. Mills is off-balanced trying to recover, and Smith Jr. slips by on his inside shoulder with a crossover. The result is an easy two-handed dunk.

Pistons’ defenders will need to rotate just in time on the weak side. Otherwise Smith Jr. could burn them with a little misdirection.

3. Start to finish

It may be the fourth year of the Van Gundy era, but the Pistons still have trouble competing for 48 minutes. In their last two outings, Detroit has blown a 16 and 24-point lead, respectively.

They managed to hang on for the win in both occasions. However, the inability for the Pistons to maintain a lead is disturbing.

Geoff Robinson of The Detroit News  reported Van Gundy’s frustration after Sunday’s win.

"“I’m not happy,” Van Gundy said after the game. “We didn’t try in the second half. They had 67 points. I didn’t think we gave any effort in the second half.”“I understand the sentiment that it’s all about the win and you got the win, but that’s not what it’s all about. It’s about what you bring to the game, how you play, the effort you bring, the unselfishness you bring and then the results take care of themselves.”"

This wasn’t the first time Pistons’ coach and president publicly questioned his team’s effort. Based off of recent history, it won’t be the last.

If Detroit manages to build a double digit lead, pay close attention to their sense of urgency. A dip in energy is expected when people are comfortable. That’s just human nature.

Dallas ranks 27th in the NBA when it comes to offensive rating. They’re averaging just 103.8 points per 100 possessions. So a blown lead to the Mavericks would surely signal that another lineup change is possible.

For Van Gundy’s sanity, let’s hope that isn’t the case.