Underrated factor in the Pistons' improved start

The Detroit Pistons are just 4-7 but feel miles away from where they were last season. 

They are competitive, the defense has improved and there have been signs of progress from most of their young players, but let’s not get carried away. 

I jokingly posted the standings yesterday with the caption “Stop the count,” as the Pistons started the day in the 6th seed, a position they haven’t been in for a long time. 

While we can find some joy in the fact that the Pistons are better, they are still not doing the little things that good teams do to win games. Let’s not hang any banners for simply clearing “not the worst.” 

All disclaimers aside, there has been one area in which the Pistons have vastly improved, and that’s on defense, where they are allowing 10 fewer points per game than last season and have climbed all the way up to 11th in defensive efficiency. The Pistons are currently 8th in points allowed after finishing 25th in that category last season.

A big part of that has been coach JB Bickerstaff, who has gotten his team to buy in, but the other part has been the defensive effort from three guys who are known more for their shooting. 

Pistons’ veterans setting a positive example on defense 

Coming into this season, I don’t think anyone would have labeled Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley or Tim Hardaway Jr. as great defenders. They were acquired for their shooting and to finally give Cade Cunningham some competent NBA players around him. 

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the effort given on the defensive end by these three, as both Beasley and Hardaway Jr. are getting into opponents on the perimeter and playing physically. 

Tobias Harris is actually leading the team in blocks with 1.3 per game, a welcome surprise from a guy who has mostly been known as a solid but not great defender. He's still not, but the effort is there and he's getting the most blocks per game of his career so far.

These three guys aren’t elite by any stretch of the imagination, but they are giving effort on the defensive end, something we didn’t see from some of the veterans the Pistons had last season. 

Tim Hardaway Jr. has already drawn six charges this season, while the entire Pistons’ team drew 17 all of last year combined. 

Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks were traffic cones on the perimeter and did plenty of coasting on that end. 

We haven’t seen much if any of that from the Pistons’ veterans this season, and it has made a difference, as the young guys are stepping up to match their energy. 

The results haven’t always been there, as the Pistons don’t have a load of elite defenders, but the effort has been. 

A coach who has a plan makes a big difference but so does having experienced players who lead by example.