The Detroit Pistons are through a quarter of their season. They’ve been tested off-the-court as much as on it. Here are 10 takeaways.
There’s been a lot more grit than glamor to the Detroit Pistons season.
Detroit sits at 8-14 and tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. The Pistons are 11 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks (19-3), with whom they’ve lost to twice on the second game of a back-to-back. Aside from that, the schedule has been relatively favorable.
What hasn’t been is the amount of injuries the team has dealt with. Blake Griffin missed the first 10 games, Derrick Rose missed five games and Reggie Jackson played the first two and has been out ever since.
Still, the Pistons have managed their way through building chemistry together, battling injuries and have had the fortune of a couple of players emerging. There have been no shortage of surprises, either.
The second quarter of the season is somewhat tame compared to what’s to come in the second semester but it will be more difficult than the first quarter, just like in elementary school.
The next 20 games feature a West coast trip, a trip to Mexico City and games at Houston and Boston (twice). There are some easier games, too, with the Cavs (twice), Pelicans (twice), Wizards, and Bulls (twice). Yet they have a realistic opportunity to go 10-10, which would give them an 18-24 record moving forward.
There’s no guarantee that’s good enough for the playoffs as the Pistons remain in a pit of mediocrity and have a brutal March ahead of them but it would at least give them a shot.
Let’s look back on the first quarter of the season with 10 takeaways.