What will be the Detroit Pistons best late-game lineup in 2019-20?

After finishing last year as the No. 8 seed, the Detroit Pistons could use some late-game finishers to ensure victory. Who currently fits the bill?

The 2018-19 Detroit Pistons finished their season squarely at .500 with a 41-41 record in head coach Dwane Casey’s first season at the helm in the Motor City.

Despite what their middle-of-the-road record indicated, the Pistons played well enough towards the end of the regular season to earn the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, their playoff tenure was short-lived as they were unceremoniously swept out of the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks and their resident MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Despite some one-legged heroics on the part of Blake Griffin, Detroit consistently came up short in what was an unfavorable playoff matchup for them against their Central Division foe.

Last year, if the Pistons had managed to win just seven to eight more games, they could have finished as the fourth or fifth seed and would have perhaps gotten themselves a much more favorable playoff matchup.

I understand that wins in the NBA aren’t attained solely by speaking them into existence but I don’t feel like it’s outside the realm of possibility that this year’s version of the Pistons could improve their record by at least 7-8 games.

In order to improve their record, success during late-game situations is vital.

So after a full offseason of roster movements, which Pistons starting five would be best to close out games?

A rotation of Derrick Rose running the point, Bruce Brown at shooting guard, Markieff Morris and Griffin at both forward spots, with big man Andre Drummond holding it down at center would pose a viable threat to most teams.

I concede the fact that both health and chemistry will play crucial roles in how well this late game five will mesh together. If anyone goes down to injury for a prolonged period, then Detroit’s chances to gel together and improve from last year are minimal.

I honestly feel like Rose will overtake Detroit’s current starter at point guard Reggie Jackson as he looks to replicate his stellar play from this past season for the Minnesota Timberwolves, specifically his career-best shooting percentage from beyond the arc, 37 percent.

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I also expect Brown to take a large step forward in year two as his playing time increases. His offensive output still needs improvement but his defense is what gets him the nod from me. As a rookie, he carved himself a niche in Casey’s rotation as a primary defender on the opposition’s best perimeter scorer. There will be growing pains but those pains will be mitigated by Brown’s growth as a two-way player.

Morris is a wily veteran with a decade-plus worth of NBA experience who can more than hold his own on the court.

The final two pieces of the puzzle are Griffin and Drummond who are the two stars for the Pistons. Both players are perennial All-Star threats who play well with one another and both can dominate the game for stretches at a time.

I’m not saying this late game lineup for the Pistons will guarantee playoff success and championships but I feel like with all things considered, these guys can compete nightly and have Dwane Casey’s squad in a position of success more often than not.

Which five players do you envision the Pistons finishing games with this year? Let us know in the comments or join the conversation on the Piston Powered Facebook page or on Twitter @PistonPowered.