5 bold predictions for Detroit Pistons’ 2019-20 season
By Tyler Lucas
1. Derrick Rose plays at least 70 games
Okay, I know what you’re thinking, “Come on Tyler, you said these were going to be bold predictions, not complete impossibilities.”
Derrick Rose has famously had an injury-ridden career. The former MVP and generational talent seemed to be on top of the basketball world when he went down with his Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury in 2012. Since then, however, he hasn’t been the same player; unable to stay healthy long enough to make a substantial impact on the league like he once did.
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Rose has not played in 70 games since his 2010-11 MVP campaign where he played in 81. Even last season Rose was only able to muster up 51 games, fighting off the injury bug on and off through the entire year. It’s hard to be confident that he will play in the most games that he has in almost 10 years, but there is hope.
Hear me out.
Coming into this season, reports are that Rose is healthy again and ready to go again, both physically and mentally. A confident Derrick Rose is an effective Derrick Rose, so being in a good place mentally is just as important for him as being physically ready.
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Another aspect to this prediction is what his role will be with the team this season. The Pistons are, more than likely, a solid playoff team, but not world beaters. This makes it so that Rose won’t have the pressure of trying to bring a team into the playoffs, and he also won’t be expected to be the one who brings them a title. In addition to this, he will be coming off the bench as Reggie Jackson‘s backup, and the Pistons will surely be regulating his minutes to try to get as many games out of him as possible.
It’s a long shot, but we can dream, right?