The Pistons are in a great spot coming out of the All-Star Break; they have the league’s best winning percentage at 40-13 and a commanding lead in the East. But Detroit still has some key areas for growth that can determine how far they go in the playoffs. As the regular season winds down and teams prepare for the postseason, these will be the most important questions for the Pistons to answer.
Can the Pistons hit more threes?
Arguably the biggest weakness in Detroit’s roster is the lack of outside shooting. Ever since losing Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr in the offseason, it’s been an uphill battle for the Pistons to find sufficient shooting. Duncan Robinson has done an admirable job filling in but the Pistons need more than one outside threat.
They also need better shooting production from other role players, whether it’s Tobias Harris in the starting lineup or bench players like Daniss Jenkins or Kevin Huerter. If these guys can elevate the Pistons from their current standing of 3rd least threes made per game, the Pistons will be a deadly playoff team.
Will the Pistons stay healthy?
Last season, the Pistons lost an extremely close playoff series against the Knicks. They missed Jaden Ivey for the entire series and Isaiah Stewart for most of it with injury. In recent seasons, the playoffs have become a war of attrition and reliable health can’t be overlooked.
The Pistons have been more injured this year throughout the regular season than they were a year ago. But they’ve also found ways to weather those injuries without hurting their record. However, in the postseason, they’ll need all hands on deck to put out their best possible lineups. With the Pistons’ intense playstyle, injuries are always a risk to monitor.
Who will be the secondary ball handler?
Cade Cunningham has done his part as a lead guard this season. He’s been dominant as a scorer and playmaker leading the Pistons offense. But the team will also need other options in the playoffs.
Cade can’t play every minute or run every play. Someone else will have to step up as a reliable initiator to keep the Pistons afloat when Cade needs a break. Daniss Jenkins will be the biggest name to watch in this area.
Will the rotation shrink?
The Pistons have found success this season with a very deep rotation. They have at least a dozen guys capable of contributing positively on the court. But in the playoffs, rotations often shrink to keep the best players on the court.
Whether or not the Pistons will be forced to shrink their rotation will be a major postseason storyline. Some of those bench guy aren’t the best shooters and scorers, but their defensive energy has been absolutely vital to Detroit basketball this season.