The Detroit Pistons have gotten off to a 2-4 start through the first six games of the season and there has been plenty to be excited about.
But Detroit has effectively balanced the good with the bad and hasn’t been helped by copious injuries and a tough schedule that has already featured two back-to-backs.
Excuses aside, we’ve seen enough of this team already to think the future is bright, but there are some clear problems as well, which you would expect from a young team that is missing four key veterans from the rotation.
The best news is that there is plenty of season, the Detroit Pistons will eventually get healthy and there will be positives to build on when they do.
Good stat/bad stat for the Detroit Pistons to start the season
Good stat: Offensive rebounding
The Pistons are currently 3rd in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 13.7 per contest so far. Both Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson are averaging 4.2 per game, which is tied for 3rd in the league.
This is important for a team that has struggled in the half court, as their second-chance putbacks and extra possessions offset some of the poor shooting.
Bad stat: Defensive rebounding
To me this is far more important, as defensive rebounds close out possessions and allow the Detroit Pistons to run. They are good in transition but need to get more opportunities by finishing their defense with rebounds. The Pistons are just 15th in the league in defensive rebounding. If they can get that number up, it will improve their defensive efficiency overall (14th in the NBA) and get them more opportunities in transition and fast breaks.
Good stat/bad stat for the Detroit Pistons to start the season
Good stat: Assists
The Detroit Pistons are currently 4th in the NBA in assists, dishing out 28 per game. When you consider they were near the bottom of the league in this category last season, it’s a monumental improvement, part of the effect Monty Williams has had on this team.
Getting Cade Cunningham and his 7.5 assists back has helped, and the ball movement overall has been better this season. It’s still not as good as it could be, as the Pistons have a bad habit of relying on Cunningham too much late in games and the team actually has the tendency to overpass at times, which has led to some turnovers and missed opportunities for shots. But overall you have to love the unselfishness of this team and the passing will continue to improve as they build chemistry.
Bad stat: Turnovers
We’ve talked about the turnovers ad nauseam, so I won’t belabor the point. The Pistons are currently 30th in the NBA in turnovers per game, coughing it up an absurd 18 times per contest. You can partially blame spacing issues and young guards still learning the nuances of reading an NBA defense, but plenty of them have just been careless mistakes. Another factor is offensive fouls, as the Pistons are currently leading the NBA In fouls per game. They’ve forced the issue in the paint at times, which had led to charges which are turnovers.
Good stat/bad stat for the Detroit Pistons to start the season
Good stat: 3-point percentage
The Detroit Pistons are currently 6th in the NBA in 3-point percentage, hitting 38.9 percent through six games. This is a great development considering Bojan Bogdanovic, Monte Morris, Alec Burks and Isaiah Livers have all been hurt. Detroit has five guys shooting over 40 percent (Burks, Sasser, Cade, Stew and Ivey) with Sasser and Burks hitting 56 and 53 percent, respectively.
You could definitely argue that they aren’t shooting enough of them, as Detroit is only 26th in the NBA in attempts. They need to find a way to get more looks, which will also help open up some of the spacing issues we’ve seen so far.
Bad stat: 2-point percentage
Ahh, the catch.
The Pistons are just 27th in 2-point percentage, which is wild considering they have a couple of players in Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley III who almost exclusively finish with dunks. As good as he has been from 3-point range, Burks is shooting just 23 percent inside the arc. Killian Hayes’ 32 percent isn’t helping things either and Cade Cunningham has shot just 9-of-25 at the rim and is just shooting just 40 percent from 2-point range overall.
I’m not worried about Burks, as he doesn’t shoot much inside the 3-point line, and Cunningham’s misses at the rim could somewhat be a by-product of early-season fatigue and high usage. Hayes has been disappointing so far, though he did hit half of his shots last night against the Pelicans.