The Detroit Pistons are one of the only teams in the NBA that doesn’t feature a seven-footer.
Kelly Olynyk is the team’s tallest player at 6-foot-11, and he is currently out for six weeks or more with a strained knee and even when healthy he plays more like a stretch-four than a center.
Second-year center Isaiah Stewart definitely has the strength to body most bigs in the NBA, but he is just 6-foot-9 and some believe that his destiny may also be at the four. He has had trouble defending bigs without fouling, which is something he needs to improve.
Second-round pick Luka Garza is more of a traditional center but he is still developing and his defense is not yet there, evidenced by the way he was worked by Jarrett Allen in the loss vs. the Cavaliers.
The Detroit Pistons somewhat make up for their lack of interior size by having big guards and wings who can defend and rebound their positions, but they are still getting killed in some key statistics, which leads me to the question: Are the Detroit Pistons too small?
Detroit Pistons: Blocked shots
The Detroit Pistons are currently 13th in the NBA in blocked shots, which is not bad for a team that doesn’t have a true rim protector.
Stewart and Jerami Grant lead the team with 1.3 blocks per game, but other than that, the Pistons don’t have a single guy averaging at least one swat per contest.
The Pistons make up for their lack of shot blockers by having four guys who average over a steal per game, led by Killian Hayes, who is currently swiping 1.5 a night.
But the lack of rim protection is hurting them, as the Pistons are currently dead last in opponent’s field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 48 percent overall.
However, the Pistons are 3rd-best in the NBA at opponent’s field goal percentage in the restricted area, so they are getting it done on the interior, it’s the mid-range and 3-point shots that they have struggled to stop.
When it comes to blocked shots, the Pistons are just fine, but there are other areas where they definitely need more size.
The Detroit Pistons need a lob threat
Many fans have noted that the Detroit Pistons don’t really have a lob threat, which is not ideal when you have two point guards who are gifted passers.
This is one of the reasons the Pistons have struggled offensively so far, as they just don’t get enough easy buckets.
Even though the Pistons have the 4th-highest number of attempts in the restricted area this season, they are just 29th in makes in that area and 22nd in percentage of makes.
In other words, they are getting a lot of bunnies but not making them, partially because the Detroit Pistons don’t feature many high flyers or bigs who are threats to dunk.
Isaiah Stewart is really the Pistons’ only post threat and he is still learning the nuances of offense.
If I had to put one thing on my wishlist for next season, it would be an athletic rim runner who can catch a lob and finish.
The Detroit Pistons are getting plenty of looks near the hoop, but they are not knocking them down, and they could definitely use a dunker for their playmakers to target with lobs.
The Detroit Pistons struggle rebounding
We knew rebounding was going to be an issue this season, and so far, it has been.
The Pistons are dead last in the NBA in rebounds per game, which is mind-boggling considering how many shots they’ve missed. You’d think a team throwing up so many bricks would be near the top of the league in rebounding, which shows you just how bad the Pistons have been.
Forward Saddiq Bey currently leads the Pistons in rebounding, averaging 7.1 per game and they don’t have a single other player averaging at least seven.
Center Isaiah Stewart averages 6.8 boards per game, which is 47th in the NBA, just behind point guard Cole Anthony, who averages 6.9 per game.
Rebounding is a controversial subject, as some believe it’s not an important stat since some teams sell out on the offensive boards to get back on defense.
But rebounds are also how teams close out possessions, so for a team that is currently relying on its defense to keep them in games, rebounding is very important indeed, especially on the defensive end.
The Pistons are dead last in defensive rebounds per game and just 24th in defensive rebounds allowed, which means they are not closing out possessions and their opponents are.
The Detroit Pistons don’t need to make dramatic changes to their roster this season, but moving forward they need some more size on the interior, particularly a guy who can catch a lob and grab some rebounds.