Detroit Pistons: Looking at the two playoff teams of this decade
In 2016–the last time the Detroit Pistons were in the playoffs–they lost in four games to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who went on to beat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Three years later, the Pistons lost in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks, a team which probably has the best chance to beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals. Similar circumstances, but what has changed since then?
On the surface, the situation does not seem all that different between two playoff teams, in 2016 or 2019. The Pistons, an 8-seed, get swept by the best team in the Eastern Conference by far. That team marches on to a probable NBA Finals, while for the Detroit Pistons, an early exit means fans and the front office will turn their eyes to next month’s draft.
Even the landscape of the NBA has not changed dramatically from 2016. The notable difference in the Eastern Conference is the departure of LeBron James to the Lakers. For all intents and purposes, this frees up a playoff spot formerly held by Cleveland. Otherwise, the Raptors and the Celtics are still forces to be reckoned with, although newcomers, Milwaukee and Philadelphia now join them. But there have been considerable changes as well.
One takeaway for the Pistons three years ago to today is the lack of playoff experience. Playoff basketball is much more intense than the regular season. In 2016, Reggie Jackson was the only starter who had appeared in a postseason game. This year, more players entered the playoffs having been there before, including Zaza Pachulia, who started significant games on a championship 2017 Warriors team.
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Blake Griffin alone entered the 2019 postseason with 51 games of playoff experience. With Jackson, Andre Drummond returned to the playoffs as a Piston. Collecting games, even games in which the team gets stomped by a top-ranked Bucks squad, is essential. These four games will serve as a motivator next March when the Pistons are in a similar situation.
Speaking of Blake Griffin, a noticeable difference from their last postseason appearance is the presence of a superstar. Three years ago, the Pistons may have had veteran leadership, but not in the form of a bona fide star. This is part of what Griffin brings to the table.
He has the experience of being a top player on a competitive team. Of course, he spent the last month of the 2019 campaign on one leg. If he stays healthy, the Detroit Pistons are looking at a different playoff opponent and a different playoff demeanor. While certainly not a guarantee, Griffin’s health can swing the team’s outlook going forward.
Helmed by two different coaches, the 2019 Pistons had a different outlook than the 2016 team. Dwane Casey’s team outscored and outpaced that of Stan Van Gundy. This team shot more threes, and made them with better consistency than the previous playoff team. The increase in possessions is possibly due to Griffin serving as a rebounding counterpart to Drummond. Unfortunately, these factors increased in step with the rest of the league, so the advantage was not as distinct.
It has been a long decade since the Pistons were a legitimate Finals contender. Since winning the championship in 2004 and the conference in 2005, the franchise has lost four consecutive playoff series (14 consecutive games), dating back to the 2008 Eastern Conference finals. If 2008 was the Pistons’ last year of dominance, there has not been a lot to cheer for in the postseason since then.
No one expected the Pistons to make any noise this year. In fact, the first round of the playoffs went chalk, with every top seed winning. Even still, it would have been nice for the Pistons to put up a fight against the difficult Bucks, to end their playoff losing streak if for no other reason. Instead, the Pistons lost by an average of nearly 24 points.
Blake Griffin belongs in the City of Detroit. dark. Next
A year from now, the Detroit Pistons will hopefully be back in a position to win. The NBA is a top-heavy league for now, but if the Pistons can make some improvements, maybe they could surprise someone.