The Detroit Pistons had a “boring” media day compared to some other teams and that is just fine with me.
As some other team’s players were showing off their YouTube medical degrees, the Pistons were actually talking about the upcoming season and this sport called basketball, which was a welcome change to be honest.
For once I am happy to cheer for a boring team that is lacking the drama and conspiracy theories and just wants to talk hoops.
Here were some of my favorite moments from Pistons’ media day and how they relate to the upcoming season.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart on how Detroit is building.
“Everything is going to start with defense.” -Isaiah Stewart
The Detroit Pistons’ past success has come with teams that revolve around defense, which is something that gets brought up quite a lot in the Motor City.
But this isn’t all about nostalgia, as defense is still very important, even in this era where everything has been skewed towards offense.
It turns out that being able to defend in an offensive era is even more important. The top 11 teams in defensive rating last season all made the playoffs, including the two teams in the Finals and the eventual champion.
The New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings both snuck into the top half of the offensive rankings but didn’t make the playoffs because they couldn’t get stops. It’s easier to have a good offense these days, so building around defense is the smart move and I’m glad to see the young Detroit Pistons embracing it.
It’s not just some throwback to the Detroit glory days, it’s smart strategically for the modern game.