The roster changes the Detroit Pistons made this offseason were not with the regular season in mind, as Trajan Langdon is trying to build a team that is more dangerous in the playoffs.
The Pistons ran a fairly elementary offense last season that tried to bully teams in the paint, a strategy that didn’t work as effectively in the postseason.
Detroit added shooters that will make it easier to keep both quality defenders and shooting on the floor at the same time, a luxury they were not afforded last season when the bench leaned heavily towards defense but didn’t have any shooting.
The Pistons now have a lineup they can unleash in the playoffs that should create mismatches and spacing without sacrificing defense.
The Pistons can steamroll teams in the playoffs with small ball
We’ve talked a lot about going small with John Collins at center, which would allow the Pistons to get another shooter on the floor, but it would also allow them to play two of their best and most versatile defenders at the same time.
A lineup of Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Joe, Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland II and John Collins is an athletic and versatile group that can defend and run the court while still having plenty of shooting.
The Pistons were unable to use their two best defenders together much last season, as neither Thompson nor Holland can shoot, and they only had one other shooter to put on the floor with them.
Now the Pistons can run Cade, two shooters and two defenders, which allows them to switch everything on defense, get steals, get out and run, and has the shooting to make teams pay.
I envision Ausar and Holland locking things down, getting into passing lanes, getting deflections and steals and then everyone taking off, with Cade orchestrating in the middle, Ausar and Holland hunting dunks and Joe and Collins running to the 3-point line for wide-open transition 3-pointers.
In the half court, this group can work if Thompson increases his playmaking, and if Holland starts knocking down a few 3-pionters, this could actually be the Pistons' most balanced lineup.
Those are big “ifs”, but this lineup can work even if those two don’t make those leaps because of the increased shooting.
Ideally, the Pistons would eventually be able to play Thompson and Holland together, as they are their two best and most versatile defenders, which would allow them to get more shooting and athleticism on the floor around Cade Cunningham.
At some point, if these two can’t play together, the Pistons may have to consider the long-term viability of Holland.
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