The first three games of Detroit Pistons basketball has been filled with up-and-downs. Here’s whose stock is rising and falling.
The Pistons started the 2019-20 campaign without star power forward Blake Griffin and were handed a schedule that had them playing three games in four days, including a back-to-back to open the season.
Add an injured Reggie Jackson, an ineffective Markieff Morris and some really sloppy play and the Pistons were lucky to escape the first week with a win. After a great road win in Indiana, the Pistons dropped two games in a row to the Hawks and 76ers. Both were winnable games, especially the 76ers, who were without All-NBA center Joel Embiid.
The offense struggled mightily in the second two games, especially in the second half. Rotations were inconsistent and baffling at times, and in general the Pistons looked like most teams at the beginning of the season, out of sync.
Detroit is still trying to find an identity, particularly in the first unit, which has struggled to get buckets. Jackson and Griffin are two of Detroit’s primary playmakers, so it makes sense that the starting unit would struggle without them.
There have been a lot of bright spots, even in the two losses, and 1-2 was not the worst outcome considering the opponents and schedule. Pistons fans would do well to remind themselves that there are a lot of ups and downs over the course of an 82-game season.
Just as it was premature to anoint Andre Drummond as the league’s best center after game one, it’s far too early to abandon him to the trash heap after a sub-par game against Philly, where early foul trouble took him out of the flow of the game. It’s too soon to overreact, so take a deep breath and remember that is is October.
The season is young, but there are already some trends emerging, both positive and negative. Here’s a look at who’s trending up or down after a wild and entertaining first week of Detroit basketball.