The Pistons picked up yet another close win on Monday night, this time over the Hawks. The win moves the Pistons to 16-4, but most of their victories have come in close affairs. With their lack of shooting and reliance on defense, it's becoming clear that the Pistons aren't likely to blow out opposing teams. Fortunately, the Pistons have been great in close games but fans shouldn't expect to get any relief in fourth quarters watching this team.
The Pistons are built to play in close games
Despite having the second best overall record in the NBA, the Pistons have played the second-most clutch games. Without reliable 3-point shooting on the team, they've been unable to run up the score against lesser teams and frequently gone down to the wire. Even in games where the Pistons do get out to a big lead, the Pistons' offensive struggles can let opponents get back into the game.
The positive is that the Pistons also lead the league in clutch wins so far. They've been carried in the fourth quarter by superstar Cade Cunningham, who's the early favorite for Clutch Player of the Year. The Pistons' inability to pull away from other teams has forced Cade into high-pressure situations and he's delivered.
This season, Cade is second in the league in both clutch scoring and fourth-quarter scoring. His scoring resilience as a midrange master and strong finisher has made him hard for defenses to shut down in the most important moments. The Pistons are hoping that Cade's strong clutch play will translate to the playoffs this season, when defenses will focus on him like the game is going down to the wire.
The Pistons have found their strengths and leaned on them in close games this season. Offensively, they turn to Cade and dominate on defense with their size across the team. As usual, they thrive defensively by protecting the paint and dominating the boards. As games get tighter, the Pistons' physical playstyle is perfect for disrupting other teams while staying comfortable themselves.
But this excessive tendency to get into clutch situations can be a negative over the long regular season. It forces the team's best players to play more minutes and maintain high intensity during them, which can lead to fatigue. The Pistons have already had injury problems this season, and playing more close games will do nothing to help that cause.
It's great that the Pistons are proving capable of squeezing out close wins. This is bound to help them if they can stay within range against the best teams, but it would also be nice to see them blow out some weaker teams. Unfortunately, the Pistons' roster and playstyle is unlikely to create many blowout opportunities this season.