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Three ways Detroit Pistons fans can get through the month of August

By Brenden Welper

DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 27: Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons high fives fans after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 27, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 27: Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons high fives fans after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 27, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – MARCH 29: Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey speaks with Toronto Raptors guard Cory Joseph (6) and Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) near end of game. Toronto Raptors vs Charlotte Hornets in 2ndhalf action of NBA regular season play at Air Canada Centre. Raptors lose 110-106. Toronto Star/Rick Madonik (Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 29: Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey speaks with Toronto Raptors guard Cory Joseph (6) and Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) near end of game. Toronto Raptors vs Charlotte Hornets in 2ndhalf action of NBA regular season play at Air Canada Centre. Raptors lose 110-106. Toronto Star/Rick Madonik (Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

3. Learn a new statistic

If players use the off-season to improve, then fans should do the same.

I don’t mean going out and practicing a mid-range jumper. If you read PistonPowered regularly, there’s a good chance that your basketball career ended a long time ago.

Rather, summer should be a time for fans and writers alike to expand their basketball knowledge. The rise of analytics has completely changed the game, from the way it’s to played, to how talent is evaluated.

So much so, that the Pistons hired analytics-specialist Sammy Gelfand away from the Golden State Warriors earlier this month. Like it or not, advanced stats are here to stay.

Popular sites like Basketball Reference and NBA.com/Stats offer countless calculations that go beyond the box score. Both of those outlets are free to the public, whereas others (such as Synergy) cost money to access.

Next. Ellenson's final chance with the Pistons. dark

Understanding stats like points per possession (PPP), offensive or defensive rating, and player impact estimate (PIE) helps to judge efficiency on more than just shooting – as most of you already know.

(Bonus: For those interested in learning more about the salary cap, Larry Coon’s FAQ guide is second-to-none)

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