Detroit Pistons Lack Of Defense Is Killing Playoff Hopes

Stan Van Gundy is in a tough spot. He has finally got his team playing hard and buying into his offensive system. But just as the offense has stepped up the defense has slacked and without defense the Pistons playoff hopes are fading fast.

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The issue on defense for the Pistons is the same it has been with team of the recent past. Detroit seems to lack defensive quickness and are often last to respond to cuts inside by opposing guards and giving too much ground in the low post. Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond are gifted rebounders but it is almost as if they wait for the opposing team to miss their shot rather than meeting them at the rim to defend it.

But the defensive issue is not just with the big’s in the front court but a problem the permeates the entire team. Van Gundy normally digs deep into his bench when looking for a spark during games but he hasn’t been able to find one for the defense. Even players like Jonas Jerebko haven’t been able to produce what Van Gundy is looking for on defense.

In his press conference following the game on Sunday night against the Minnesota Tinberwolves Stan Van Gundy boiled the issue down to just one word….committment.

“We have got no committment to the defensive end of the floor” -Stan Van Gundy

Earlier in his brief comments he also said there was”…not one stretch of good defense in the entire game.” Call it effort call it whatever you want someone from the Pistons needs to step up on the defensive end. It is vital that the Pistons qualify for the playoffs this season. If he can’t find the defensive solution on the current roster, Van Gundy may be forced to look for that defensive spark on the trade market this week.

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