The Pistons have built their East-leading record through relentless effort and intensity all season long, but one NBA executive believes that could actually limit their playoff ceiling. In a recent ESPN article, an anonymous West executive expressed concern that the Pistons don't have another level to reach by playing harder, which could put them at a disadvantage comapred to other teams that aren't giving maximum effort in the regular season.
"I don't know if [the Pistons] have another gear to get to. When everyone plays hard in the playoffs, does that get mitigated some?"Anonymous executive of a West team
The concern has been validated by the Pistons' recent games, when their effort has faltered somewhat. When Detroit gives anything less than 100%, it exposes opportunities for lesser to hang with them and potentially for equal teams to beat them. If the effort level is equalized in the postseason, the Pistons could lose out on their biggest advantage and be in for a rude awakening.
Do the Pistons have another level to reach?
With that being said, the Pistons do have some unique advantages that can help them reach another level in the playoffs. For one, the Pistons are extremely physical and get called for a lot of fouls; this is often one of their biggest defensive weaknesses. In the playoffs, referees often allow more physicality and swallow their whistles. This alone can raise the Pistons' ceiling and make their already elite defense nearly impossible to score against.
The Pistons also have some offensive capabilities that are built for the playoffs. Despite lacking elite offensive talent across the board, they have a star in Cade Cunningham who is tailor-made for the postseason. Cade has an extremely versatile game and scoring package that makes him harder for defenses to shut down over a long series. Unlike other stars who may rely excessively on one move or shot type, Cade is comfortable scoring from all three levels and changing up his shot diet to attack the defense appropriately.
Adding some more shot creators besides Cade would've definitely helped the Pistons for the playoffs, but they still have other weapons that can win a playoff game. Backup guards like Daniss Jenkins and Marcus Sasser are capable of scoring in bunches against the right matchups, and All-Star Jalen Duren has been dominant in his last few games.
Despite the Pistons' clear offensive weaknesses, opposing teams and fans may be shocked by their level of play in the postseason. The Pistons may be young and rely on maximum effort to play their best, but that doesn't mean they'll be an easy out. As long as they continue to bring that effort every night in the playoffs, the Pistons should be seen as serious contenders in the Eastern Conference.