Sadly the Pistons proved all their doubters right in Game 7 with a walloping 31-point loss at home to the Cavaliers. However, the one positive of such a huge loss is that it can force changes to fix the Pistons' fundamental issues. Detroit has its fair share of gaping problems, most notably the lack of consistent secondary scoring, but this summer should lead to some solutions.
The Pistons have no choice but to make big changes
Detroit got practically no bright spots in Game 7, as their roster's biggest flaws were ruthlessly exposed. Even their strengths didn't show up, and head coach JB Bickerstaff was never able to right the ship. After such an embarassing showing, the front office needs to regroup and make sure they don't put their team in such a position again next season.
The Cavaliers dominated the Pistons by packing the paint on defense and getting to the rim on offense. Even when Cleveland's ball handlers weren't finishing themselves, they could create easy looks for teammates after getting a paint touch. Whether it was a kick out to an open shooter or a lay down for a big man, the Cavs' guards dominated the game with their dribble penetration.
And perhaps the Pistons' biggest story of the playoffs reared its ugly head once again. Jalen Duren was unable to build off his strong Game 6 performance and instead put up a putrid showing. Duren has completely lost the trust of the Pistons this postseason as he averaged just 10 points per game. His future status on the team and his upcoming contract extension are obviously in jeopardy.
Detroit's Game 7 embarassment could be beneficial in the long run
The Pistons may have deluded themselves into running back a similar roster next season if they had a close loss to end their playoff run. After all, the team far outperformed their expectations in the regular season and even won a playoff round for the first time in 18 years. But now they are forced to look in the mirror and face their flaws.
It's clear the Pistons need more shooting and better secondary scoring options. They also need to transform their role player cache into a collection of two-way players. As it stands, the Pistons have far too many specialists in their supporting roles, whose clear weaknesses get targeted in the playoffs.
Even if their strong team defense and star play from Cade Cunningham can lead the Pistons to considerable regular season success, they still have a long way to go. At least the Cavaliers proved that point and forced some big changes coming this summer.
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