The Detroit Pistons are on the brink of elimination. They are one loss away from being the seventh No. 1 seed ever to lose to an eighth seed. The worst of all is that they aren't down 3-1 because of a few flukey games. They have been outplayed, outhustled, and outexecuted throughout the series. Things have to change dramatically between now and Wednesday's Game 5 for the Pistons to have a chance to turn things around.
For dramatic changes to happen, brave decisions are needed. Head coach JB Bickerstaff can't continue to do the same things and expect different results. This means that the Pistons need to change their starting lineup going forward.
Ausar Thompson & Duncan Robinson Should Be Benched in Game 5
The Cade Cunningham-Duncan Robinson-Ausar Thompson-Tobias Harris-Jalen Duren lineup worked very well in the regular season. Not only was it Detroit's most-utilized five-man group, but it was also a highly successful one with a +12.2 net rating. Playoffs, however, are a different beast. Opponents capitalize on your weaknesses much more than they can in the regular season. And Detroit's weaknesses have been at the forefront in the series.
Robinson has nowhere to hide defensively in the series. He has a target on his back, and Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane constantly take advantage of it.
Thompson is a total liability on offense, forcing the Pistons to play four-on-five. Suggs, tasked with guarding him, can essentially roam and disrupt whatever he wants defensively. There is a reason the Pistons turned the ball over 20 times in Game 4.
Bickerstaff has to see whether he can get more out of his team by moving Thompson and Robinson to the bench. Instead of having two players with extreme weaknesses in the starting lineup, the Pistons could have a more all-around starting group.
The first two players who come to mind who can start instead are Daniss Jenkins and Javonte Green. The Pistons can get more ball-handling and playmaking from Jenkins, taking some pressure off of Cunningham, who has had 24 turnovers in the last three games. Green, on the other hand, could provide more shooting on the wing compared to Thompson, making it a little more difficult for the Magic to pack the paint.
Some will argue that Duren should also be benched after four straight stinkers. That is a much harder conversation to have with a star player on his way to an All-NBA nod. Plus, replacing Duren with Isaiah Stewart in the lineup would further exacerbate the team's offensive struggles.
These changes may not be a panacea for the Pistons, but they could be a good starting point. Thompson and Robinson could still play large roles off the bench, but the Pistons have to try something different in Game 5 and beyond.
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