The front court looks scary . . . in a good way.
It goes without saying that talent hasn’t been in abundance for Piston forwards and centers in recent years. We watched Kwame Brown set an NBA record for most consecutive post-entry passes fumbled or lost completely. We saw Austin Daye lose weight each offseason, only for Jason Maxiell to find it. We saw a Ben Wallace sequel when his show already ran a little long the first time around.
The Josh Smith/Greg Monroe/Andre Drummond front line on opening night was refreshing, to say the least; a dynamic trio, all excelling at different things, making life miserable for the opposition. Smith tallied 19 points and knocked in three triples.
Andre the Giant posted a workmanlike 12 and 8, while smartly avoiding the free throw line entirely. Monroe was an animal, leading the squad with 24 points, 16 boards, and a very encouraging 12 for 15 from the stripe.
Do the Pistons have some issues backing up this troika? Yes, they do.
The bench is heavy on perimeter players, with very little bulk. There is Jonas Jerebko, Luigi Datome, Tony Mitchell, and Charlie Villanueva; you catch my drift.
Upfront Talent
But for now, we focus on the positive, which is that this collection of talent up front will be a pleasure to watch. The sheer athleticism and force of Drummond/Smith, coupled with the determination and developing skill of Monroe, will be a load for teams to deal with on a nightly basis throughout the season.
And if the three of them can continue to combine for 80% from the foul line (granted, Smith and Drummond had no attempts), 65-70 wins becomes a reality.
Chauncey Billups
Out with the Old, In with the...Old? It was a new beginning for the Pistons: new coach, new attitude, and many new faces. But the new guy that made the biggest impact was really just an old friend, weathered by a few years.
Chauncey Billups lit up the Palace like old times. With the Wizards hanging around, trailing by just seven, Mr. Big Shot decided to make an appearance and close the curtains on Wednesday night’s show. He banged home back-to-back threes, pushing the advantage to 13, and the home team never looked back.
Shooters will always be able to shoot. That never changes.
I remember Terry Duerod knocking home 17-footers with regularity at Franklin Racquet Club on one hip and half a knee. Chris Mullin got to the Pacers at the end of his career, unable to move laterally or guard anyone on the opposing team; you still couldn’t leave him open. The guy was as lethal as ever. As we saw against the Wizards, the same goes for Chauncey. Shut off the surrounding elements and just watch Chauncey effortlessly float in those fourth quarter treys...you could swear it was 2003, not 2013.
It was just one night, and you don’t want to get carried away. Obviously, you can’t count on a 38-year-old guard to knock home four long balls and rack up 16 points every time out. But on this evening, after too many years of uninspired basketball, it felt good to be reminded of what winning Pistons’ basketball once looked like.
Giving Bynum His Due
Will Bynum Needs to Play...For Real this Time. Bynum has had a strange career in professional hoops. After emerging from Georgia Tech, he had a cup of coffee with the Warriors. Then it was off to Israel for a couple of years. Finally, he found an NBA home in Detroit. It’s been five full years now, and his role on the team has never been truly established.
I might be in the minority, but I’ve always felt Bynum has been underappreciated and underutilized. Whenever called upon, the man has produced. Keep in mind, he has been a part of some truly awful basketball teams during his time here. But watching the diminutive Bynum play, you would never know. His effort and dedication to the team has never wavered.
Certain players in a similar situation would have grumbled publicly at some point. Bynum would go off for 20-some points in a quarter, then not see the floor at all the next dozen games. It’s been a frustrating trend the last number of years. Remember the last time this franchise made the playoffs? It was in 2009, a sweep at the hands of LeBron James and the Cavs. The best Piston (and it wasn’t even close) in that series was Will Bynum. Those games were all the same.
We would get down 20 to 30 points, Michael Curry would finally insert Bynum, and like clockwork, he would singlehandedly slash the lead to single digits (I’m not exaggerating...check out this old play-by-play). The deficits were simply too much to overcome, but Bynum proved himself a more-than-capable NBA producer.
But somehow no matter what he did, minutes were always scarce or sporadic. Bland performers like Rodney Stuckey or Brandon Knight received ample playing time based on pedigree/draft status alone, while Bynum continued to play the part of lifelong underdog.
Well, enough is enough. 2013-14 is a fresh start for the Detroit Pistons, and that means finally giving Will Bynum his due.
I don’t need the man to start 82 games, and he doesn’t need to close out every fourth quarter. But whenever it is that Brandon Jennings and Rodney Stuckey return, I demand that Bynum remain in the picture. He is an invaluable offensive weapon, from his fearless forays into the paint to his blossoming chemistry with Andre Drummond.
Figure out the breakdown of minutes however you must, but at the end of the day, the Pistons are a better team when Will Bynum sees the floor consistently. Here’s hoping this is the year the little fella finally gets the respect he’s so rightfully earned.
