The Detroit Pistons have not gotten off to a good start even though there have been some things to be excited about.
Cade Cunningham has looked every bit the star the Pistons need him to be at times, but has also struggled with turnovers and efficiency (story of his career so far) under a heavy workload and more minutes than any player in the NBA.
Ausar Thompson is playing like he belongs on the All-Defensive team and is currently 2nd in the NBA in total rebounds. Marcus Sasser looks like a steal and Killian Hayes has made some of the progress we were hoping for on the offensive end.
But the story for the season so far has been injuries, as Detroit is running a very young rotation with most of their key veterans on the bench in street clothes.
It’s been disappointing on several fronts, but also frustrating considering the Pistons have not even been close to having a full roster. But the Detroit Pistons aren’t the only disappointing team, and there are others who are early surprises through the first 13 percent of the season.
Surprises in the NBA so far
Philadelphia 76ers (8-1)
It’s not surprising that the 76ers are good, but I’m not sure many would have predicted an 8-1 start after they traded James Harden. It turns out that in Harden trades, the team showing him the door is usually the winner. Philly is getting MVP-level play from Joel Embiid again (32.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists per game) but the big story has been Tyrese Maxey, who has taken a star turn, averaging 28.6 points, 7.2 assists and 5.4 rebounds on 50/43/93 shooting splits. Those are All-NBA numbers and making Philly forget all about the Harden saga that bogged them down for the entire offseason. They now have extra draft picks and future cap space, so Philly is a dangerous team now and into the future.
Indiana Pacers (6-4)
The Pacers’ start isn’t totally surprising, in fact, I picked them as one of my sleeper teams this season. Indiana currently has seven players averaging double figures, including Tyrese Haliburton, who is averaging 23.8 points and leading the NBA in assists at 12.2 per game. The Pacers are a balanced team with guys who can shoot the 3-ball, part of the reason Haliburton is racking up so many assists. Former Piston Bruce Brown has been everything they hoped he would be and Turner, Nesmith and Hield have shot the lights out.
Surprises in the NBA so far
Minnesota Timberwolves (7-2)
Last year was mostly people talking about how the Timberwolves got fleeced in the Rudy Gobert trade. Gobert is once again playing like the best defensive player in the league and the fit with Karl-Anthony Towns now looks sustainable. Jaden McDaniels (the guy I really wanted for the Pistons) is also protecting the rim while shooting over 43 percent from long range. But they are being led by Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 28.4 points, 6.2 rebounds 5.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Minnesota stuck with their team and went in big on the extension for McDaniels and it is paying off so far, as they are currently the 3-seed and playing like a contender in the Western Conference.
Houston Rockets (6-3)
The Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons entered this past offseason in pretty much the exact same place, but Houston went big in free agency and Detroit didn’t. We can debate the long-term effects of signing Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, but it’s worked in the short-term for the Rockets, who have won six in a row and have a little vibe around them right now. That could certainly change, as they have a lot of strong personalities on that team, so come see me when things start going badly. VanVleet and Brooks have been huge for the Rockets so far and Jalen Green has been efficient from long range, but the biggest surprise has to be Alperen Sengun who is playing like an All-Star, averaging 19.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, six assists and a steal per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor and creating matchup problems all over the place. I am certainly not saying the Detroit Pistons should have gone after VanVleet and Brooks, but you have to wonder if they could be in the same spot if they had signed more impactful veterans than Joe Harris with that $20 million, even with all of the injuries.
The NBA’s disappointments so far
Memphis Grizzlies (2-8)
The Grizzlies are one of the few teams that has been hit with almost as many injuries as the Detroit Pistons, as they are missing Brandon Clarke, Stephen Adams, Derrick Rose and Xavier Tillman, and that’s before you get to the suspended Ja Morant. That’s a whole lot of scoring and rim protection on the bench. The good news for the Grizzlies is that they will eventually get some of those guys back and Desmond Bane is averaging over 26 points per game in the meantime.
LA Clippers (3-6)
The Clippers made the big Harden trade, adding him to the oft-injured Kawhi Leonard and Paul George duo. Harden has only played four games, so it is a work in progress and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Clippers started rolling at some point if they can keep everyone healthy. But right now, this pretty much sums of their season:
BIZNESS. HE ON THAT @bismackbiyombo pic.twitter.com/JGoGhXHtYc
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) November 12, 2023
I AM THE SYSTEM.
Detroit Pistons (2-9)
The Pistons are young and injured so I’m not surprised they are bad, but I didn’t think they’d be the worst team in the league at this point in the season. The schedule has been tough, and injuries have derailed them, but Detroit has also blown some very winnable games, as they have a nasty habit of getting up by double digits early before giving it all back and then running out of gas late. Yes, you have to put this season in context, but it’s hard not to be disappointed by a 2-9 start in which one of the core players has been benched and the star leads the NBA in turnovers while shooting under 30 percent from long range. The Pistons got Burks and Ivey back last game, and Monte Morris should return soon, so there is some hope they can still turn this season around, but it is fading fast.