The Detroit Pistons are not part of the NBA Playoffs but there is plenty they can learn from the eight teams that are left.
When the Pistons acquired James Wiseman, it made sense as a chance to acquire high-end talent, especially if he was to be used as the backup to Jalen Duren.
Adding Wiseman gave the Pistons three “traditional” centers along with Duren and Marvin Bagley III, meaning guys who do most of their work in the paint on both ends. Troy Weaver expressed his interest in going big by using two of them at the same time, something you’re not seeing much of in the modern NBA.
Teams like Cleveland and Milwaukee had success doing it in the regular season, but I would argue that is because the players involved are a lot more versatile and dynamic than the bigs currently on the Detroit Pistons.
One thing is certain, none of the remaining playoff teams are using two traditional bigs at the same time, in fact, most of them are using one at all.
Detroit Pistons: Something we’re not seeing in NBA Playoff rotations
Here are the eight teams remaining in the playoffs along with the power forward and center they are using in their top-3 lineups so far in the playoffs.
76ers
- Tucker/Embiid
- Reed/Tucker
- Reed/Niang
The only traditional center Philly is using is MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid, who is hardly a typical center. They won the first game in their matchup with the Celtics with Embiid out of the lineup.
Celtics
- Brown/Horford
- Brown/Horford
- Horford/Williams III
All Horford’s ability to shoot and defend both front court spots allows the Celtics to go small most of the time without a traditional center on the floor.
Suns
- Durant/Ayton
- Durant/Ayton
- Durant/Biyombo
The Suns are one of the teams that does use a traditional center, but they never use two and have Kevin Durant as their power forward, a guy who is pretty good at spreading the floor. If Marvin Bagley III could shoot like Durant, the Detroit Pistons would be in business.
Nuggets
- Gordon/Jokic
- Gordon/Green
- Gordon/Jokic
Jokic is anything but a traditional center and is more or less the point guard of the team. They play him along with Aaron Gordon and two ex-Pistons who can defend all over the floor in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown. When they bring in Brown, they go small with Jeff Green at center.
Heat
- Love/Adebayo
- Martin/Adebayo
- Butler/Adebayo
The Heat don’t even have a traditional center, as they use Bam Adebayo, who can defend all over the floor and make a jump shot, which is what makes him so valuable in the playoffs.
Knicks
- Randle/Robinson
- Toppin/Robinson
- Randle/Robinson
The Knicks have a traditional center in Mitchell Robinson, but he defends the rim and is flanked by Julius Randle, who can hit a jump shot and spread the floor.
Lakers
- LeBron/Davis
- LeBron/Hachimura
- LeBron/Hachimura
Anthony Davis is a versatile center who can shoot from all over and is one of the best rim protectors in the league, and it helps to have Lebron James as your power forward. Two of the Lakers three most used lineups in the playoffs so far don’t even feature a center.
Warriors
- Green/Looney
- Wiggins/Looney
- Wiggins/Green
The most successful pioneers of small-ball, the Warriors don’t have a traditional center, but instead use Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Looney is a guy who doesn’t get much press, but has been important to their success and plays a role that Isaiah Stewart could play in small-ball lineups.
It’s possible that the two-big experiment will die a quick death and the Detroit Pistons will just bring Wiseman or Duren off the bench. It’s too early to get worked up about what could amount to having a quality backup center. It’s also possible that Troy Weaver is onto something and has figured something out that all of the playoff teams have missed.
But no one is using two traditional bigs in the playoffs, which have been dominated by versatile wing players who can defend all over the court.