By JJ Allen, Contributing Writer
A late-game four-point play from third-year guard Jaden Ivey proved to be the difference-maker in the Detroit Pistons 114-113 comeback victory over the Sacramento Kings Thursday night, Dec. 26.
The win helped the Pistons move to 14-17 on the season, and helped them match their win total from all of last year with 51 games left to play. This also marks the Pistons first three-game road winning streak since January 2020. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 33 points and 10 assists while Malik Beasley’s six three pointers and Ivey’s 19 points helped cap off the come from behind win. Detroit is now 2.5 games behind the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Considering last year was perhaps the worst season in the franchise’s storied history, Detroit’s turnaround is notable for both Pistons fans and their critics. The team doesn’t deserve a ticker-tape parade, or too much praise for putting together a better product than last year’s abysmal efforts, but it is worth dissecting how the team has gone from the absolute worst team in the league, to a formidable opponent – and they’ve done that by making front-office moves and player personnel changes.
New Faces
The appointment of J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach and Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations has marked a turning point for the Pistons, coming off their franchise-worst record of 14-68. During Trajan Langdon’s introductory press conference as the new president of basketball operations he declared: “My goal is to compete night in and night out and put a product on the floor that the city is proud of.”
This sentiment has clearly resonated with the players, as 13 of their 17 losses have been determined by 10 or fewer points. Lack of effort hasn’t been as much of a factor in their losses this year compared to last.
Free agency acquisitions like Tim Hardaway Jr, Tobias Harris, and league-leader in three pointers made, Malik Beasley, have provided a veteran presence on a young, developing roster. The addition of wings who can space the floor has allowed the young backcourt of Cunningham and Ivey to get more opportunities in the paint where Cunningham’s large frame and Ivey’s athleticism help them thrive.
Rookie and fifth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft Ron Holland has shown flashes of his potential, most notably in a 123-99 loss to the Celtics where he scored 26 points shooting 11-of-14 from the field. He has appeared in all 31 games for the Pistons this season. As he continues to improve, he’ll see his role turn from part-time contributor to more of a focal point in defining the team’s athletic, defensive scheme. However, his 15.7 minutes per game rank just 21st amongst 5th overall picks in their rookie season since 2000.
Familiar Faces
The returning trio of lottery picks Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren have continued to develop, and game by game they are starting to look more like polished pros. All three players have either matched or improved their field goal percentages and three-point percentages from a season ago – a major weak point last season – while Cunningham and Ivey are posting career numbers in both points and assists per game.
While Duran has seen a drop in points per game and shot attempts per game (9.2 points on 5.4 attempts compared to last season’s 13.8 points on 9.2 attempts), he’s improved his field goal percentage from an already impressive 62% to 70%. He’s made the most of his scoring opportunities and him taking less of a scoring role has helped Cunningham step into an all-star caliber role while other players like Ivey, Harris, and Beasley to get more three-point opportunities, which can be highlighted by their increase from 31.7 three-point attempts per game last season to 37.2 this season.
What Changed?
Last season, Detroit lacked an identity and struggled to consistently execute a game plan. Injuries plagued the Pistons with former Piston Bojan Bogdonavic missing 54 games, backup big man Isaiah Stewart missing 36, Duren missing 21, and Cunningham missing 20 games. This led to a lack of chemistry from the core, inconsistent individual roles, and an inability to adopt a consistent scheme.
Their field goal percentage ranked 24th in the league due to their inability to create easy scoring opportunities. This season, Cunningham, Duren, and Stewart have only missed a combined 11 games compared to 77 last season. Cunningham has been able to showcase his ability to play at an All-NBA level while healthy and maintain good efficiency while still shooting at a high volume. Duren and Stewart both average over a block a game, reliably protecting the rim. Duren’s athleticism and increased efficiency has made him one of the most reliable lob threats in the league, complementing Cunningham and Ivey’s game nicely.
The Pistons have shown improvements across the board. One set of metrics that highlight their improvements are offensive and defensive ratings. Offensive rating is an estimate of total points scored by a team every 100 possessions, while defensive rating is an estimate of how many points a team allows per 100 possessions. These metrics tell a general story of how efficient a team is on both ends of the court. Last season the Pistons were amongst the worst in the league ranking 27th in offensive rating and 26th in defensive rating. This season there has been a notable improvement in both categories where they are ranked 19th in both statistics.
Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has chosen a slower, more calculated approach this season which can be reflected in the Pistons ranking 18th in pace compared to last season’s 9th. This has allowed the offense to get set and take smarter shots rather than making unnecessary mistakes, eventually putting the game too far out of reach. Their rebounding numbers reflect the hard work Detroit is known for. The Pistons average 11 offensive rebounds, 33.6 defensive rebounds, and 44.6 total rebounds, all ranking 12th in the league. Their 5.2 blocks, led by key contributor Isaiah Stewart’s 1.3 blocks per game, rank 14th in the NBA this season.
Cade Cunningham’s Breakout
Fourth-year point guard Cade Cunningham is having a career year, showcasing why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Injuries have previously hindered his development, but this season Cunningham has proven how valuable he can be to the Pistons leading the team with 24.2 ppg and 9.7 assists. His six triple doubles this season rank third league-wide only behind Nikola Jokic and LeBron James. Cunningham is on pace for the most points per game from a Pistons guard since Jerry Stackhouse’s 29.8 ppg in the 2000-2001 season. The backcourt duo of Cunningham and Ivey would also be the highest-scoring Pistons backcourt since that 2000 season with Stackhouse and Chucky Atkins (Cunningham and Ivey combine for 41.7 points per game compared to Stackhouse and Atkins at 41.8).
Hopeful Future
This roster has shown potential to be solid, and with the stellar performances from Cunningham, Ivey, and Beasley as of late, the Pistons have an outside shot of making the playoffs this season. As of Dec. 28, the team is only 2.5 games behind the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. They still have over 40 games to play, and anything can happen, however if they continue their upward trajectory we could see similar path to success that the Detroit Lions saw, as they finished 5-11 in 2020 and cleaned house bringing in a new head coach and GM in Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes. Despite a shaky start going 3-13 the next season, they’ve steadily increased their win total and are now amongst the best teams in the NFL with realistic Super Bowl aspirations.
The Pistons have their star in Cade Cunningham, key contributors in Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren, and young talent with loads of potential in Ausar Thompson, Marcus Sasser, and Ron Holland. With guidance from their newly acquired veterans and continued front-office success, the Pistons look to have a figured out how to right the ship after a decade of trial and error following a dominant decade to start the 2000s.
