Carlos Arroyo Reincarnate
It’s only been a couple of games, so I’ll give myself some time to adjust, but whenever Steve Blake has been on the court bopping around, I’ve thought to myself, “Wait, is Carlos Arroyo back on the team?!?” Something about the slight frame, the shaved head, has made it very difficult to separate these hoops twins. Anybody else having this issue? Just me?
67% Never Looked So Good
Andre Drummond
Who is this sharp-shooting gentleman wearing #0 for the Pistons? What have you done with the real Andre Drummond?? This imposter has been a revelation at the free throw line, sinking 14 in 21 attempts through two games. If Drummond can somehow maintain a plus-60% rate at the foul line throughout the year, this Pistons team suddenly becomes very dangerous. Obviously this is a very small sample size, but it’s a very encouraging start nonetheless.
Balance, Balance, Balance
The Pistons have shared the ball beautifully thus far. In the opener against Atlanta, all five Pistons’ starters tallied double figures in points; none lower than 15, none higher than 21. In the gritty follow-up victory over Utah, four of the five starters hit double digits (all between 14 and 19) and Stanley Johnson chipped in with 11 off the bench. It’s the type of well-rounded attack this team will need all year long to win games. And frankly, it’s a far more enjoyable brand of basketball when compared to teams like Houston or the Lakers that see their top gunners (Harden, Bryant) monopolize the ball and chuck it 20-30 times a night.
No Easy Baskets In This House
Last season’s 32-win Pistons squad was a fairly uninspiring unit on the defensive end. They allowed right around 100 points per game, which placed them in the middle of the pack in the NBA. This year, it’s been a different story entirely, the Pistons locking down their opponents to the tune of just 90.5 points a night. Losing Josh Smith probably helped in this regard, as did adding an up-and-coming ball-hawk like Stanley Johnson, but it really just seems as if Stan Van Gundy’s insistence that max effort be shown on that end of the floor has finally resonated.
One Shot Only
An underrated stat contributing to this mini-defensive resurgence: the Pistons are saying NO to any and all potential offensive rebounders on the other team. The Hawks produced just seven offensive boards, the Jazz only four. Compare that to the Stones, who have clawed their way to THIRTY-ONE second chance opportunities in that same duration. Again, if Drum-Squad and his mates continue to manhandle the opposition in this department on a nightly basis, the wins should start to rack up and we'd all be wise to begin setting money aside for tickets to the 2016 NBA Finals.
A Semi-Depressing Statistical Achievement
It almost seems too sad to even believe, but this is the first time since March of 2009 (over SIX years ago!) that the Pistons have been two games over the .500 mark. Yikes. That is shocking. I know it’s been rough times at The Palace for several years now, but you figure at some point one of those squads must have been 4-2, 9-7, something like that. What’s going to happen if they win again tomorrow against Chicago to get to 3-0? Indoor fireworks? A parade down Opdyke Road? Mike Abdenour ripping off his sweater vest and firing it into the upper deck? This club is rolling like we haven’t seen in a half-decade; the possibilities are endless.
Jersey Number Minutiae
Useless trivia nugget of the day: the Pistons are one of just four teams in the NBA not to have a single player wearing a jersey number in the 30s. While we’re on that topic, what’s Aron Baynes doing wearing #12? If you’re almost seven feet tall and north of 260 pounds, you go get yourself a “big guy” jersey number. Something like 43, or 52. You are the team’s designated rough-and-tumble backup center...get a wardrobe that fits the part!
Anybody Have John Long’s Phone Number??
Reggie Bullock
The Piston backcourt was already missing potential super-sub Brandon Jennings until December, and now it appears they’ll be missing 3-point specialist Jodie Meeks, too. Meeks suffered a Jones fracture in his right foot, which means he could miss up to two months nursing it back to health. Meeks was expected to be an integral part of the revamped second unit, so this is a legitimate blow. Reggie Bullock, a 4th-year pro from North Carolina, will likely pick up the minutes backing up KCP. Van Gundy was effusive in his praise of Bullock during the pre-season, so it’s not out of the question he could become a surprise contributor during Meeks’ absence. We’d be remiss, however, not to at least mention that Bullock, in 11 games last year for Phoenix, attempted 16 shots from the field and made one. That's six percent, folks. Guess he’s got nowhere to go but up!
