The Detroit Pistons only won 20 games this season but if you watched them then you know that they aren’t too far from being good.
The Pistons were competitive in almost every game, beat some of the best teams in NBA and lost a lot of close games that they blew for various reasons.
Part of it is that the Detroit Pistons are a young team. They were often starting two or even three rookies and even though Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes all played well down the stretch, they are still young and prone to mistakes.
The Pistons’ oldest starter late in the season was 24-year-old Josh Jackson, so it makes sense that the Pistons lost a lot of games that veteran teams might have won.
Jerami Grant predicted that the Pistons would “do something big” next season and I think he’s right, but there are some areas they have to fix.
Detroit Pistons: How to get back to the playoffs
I may be Homer #1 but I truly believe the Detroit Pistons can get back to the playoffs as soon as next season if the offseason goes their way.
My five step plan essentially includes keeping the right guys, not overspending in restricted free agency and nailing the draft, easy right?
But it will take more than a productive offseason to get the Pistons back to the playoffs. There are also some in-house problems that they have to fix if they want to make a leap as a franchise.
Here are two issues that plagued the Pistons all season. If they don’t get these two things sorted out, it could be another season of coming up just short for Detroit.
Detroit Pistons: What is the Pistons’ team free throw percentage?
One of the reasons the Pistons lost so many close games is that they are terrible from the free-throw line. The Pistons shot just 75.9 percent as a team, which is good for 24th in the NBA.
The NBA free-throw average is around 78 percent, so Detroit’s 75.9 is below league average, and is only this high because they have guys like Jerami Grant and Saddiq Bey who shoot a high percentage that makes their overall team numbers look somewhat respectable.
The Pistons have nine players who shoot below 73 percent, which is unacceptable for a professional basketball team.
This is even more infuriating because the Pistons are 5th overall in free-throw attempts this season. They are getting to the line enough, they just aren’t making many of them.
The Pistons are leaving a ton of points at the free-throw line and it is costing them games, as we saw several times down the stretch.
Good teams make free throws, it is that simple. It is hard enough to put teams away in the NBA under optimum circumstances, but if you are routinely leaving 10-12 points on the free-throw line, it gets even tougher.
If the Detroit Pistons want to sniff the playoffs next season they have to improve their overall team free-throw percentage.
Detroit Pistons: Where do the Pistons rank in team rebounding?
Another area the Detroit Pistons must improve is rebounding, as they are just 23rd in the NBA in rebounds per game.
This isn’t always a bad thing, as some of the best offensive teams don’t get a ton of rebounds because they don’t miss as many shots. But the Pistons are not one of those teams, as they are just 24th overall in field goal percentage.
There are plenty of bricks flying around when the Pistons play, but they aren’t converting many of them into rebounds. The Pistons are just 20th in rebound percentage and when you are missing so many shots, that is not a good thing.
Missed shots lead to fast breaks and easy hoops on the other end, especially if the other team doesn’t have to concern itself with stopping offensive rebounding.
The Pistons were a pretty good defensive team this season, finishing 10th overall in the NBA In points allowed per game, but imagine what they could be if they grabbed a few more of those defensive rebounds?
Defensive rebounding is the final stage of defense, so if the Pistons want to climb even higher in the defensive rankings, they need to close out those possessions.
The Detroit Pistons are not far from being good, and with the right additions and in-house improvements, can be a playoff team next season.