None of the experts are expecting the Detroit Pistons to do anything this season. However, there is a team in major league baseball that was predicted to be the equivalent of the Pistons, and boy have they exceeded expectations.
The San Francisco Giants have the best record in Major League Baseball. Not much was thought of them at the beginning, just like no one expects the Pistons to do anything.
The data firm 538 predicted, before the season, the Giants would finish with the 9th worst record in baseball.
Even though it is a different sport, Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey has taken notice of the Giants unexpected success.
Yes, rebuilding is nice and needed , but Casey wouldn’t mind being 50 games over .500, like San Francisco, according to Omari Sankofa of the Free Press.
"“I hope and pray we emulate that, but it can be done,” Casey said. “I say why not us? Everybody is counting us out, got us at the bottom, which is great, fine.I function better being the underdog and hopefully our guys put a chip on their shoulder. So there’s no reason to put limits on how high we can go, but I’m being realistic in understanding it’s going to be tough and difficult. But it still can be done, and why not us.“We had a lot of close games last year,” Casey continued. “The only thing guys didn’t do last year is quit playing. They played hard each and every night. Bring that to the table with some more experience, added talent, added 3-point shooting, and we should take a full step forward"
As anyone who watched them play last season realizes, the Pistons were a better team than their 20-52 record suggests. They lost a lot of close games and … well. … did not try that hard at the end of the season to win.
But, obviously, basically everything would have to go right for the Detroit Pistons to be fighting with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Cade Cunningham would need to instantly transform into another Luka Doncic. Jerami Grant would have to take another step, and become an even bigger offensive threat, Saddiq Bey will have to be scoring from inside as well as from outside. Killian Hayes will need to have at least an average shooting percentage, and the Detroit offense overall will have to take a major step up.
And a few injuries to some of the top players in the East like Kevin Durant, Giannis and Joel Embiid, to weaken them, would also be helpful.
Is it likely to happen? No, but the Giants also weren’t supposed to be any good.
(On the other hand, the NFL Giants were suppose to be bad, and they are hideous, so the experts are not always wrong)
Whether they do, or do not, have a unexpectedly great season, it is nice to see coach Casey at least expressing optimism. At this point, everybody in the NBA is 0-0, no reason for any negativity.
Players never tank, there’s no incentive for them to lose. So they must feel good about their coach expressing confidence in them to do well.