Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson, left, drives against Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, in Chicago.
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On the other hand, the Pistons will rely on Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris for the bulk of their offense when the regular season comes.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy). Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (3) shoots over Indiana Pacers forward Myles Turner (33) during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Tuesday, October 13, 2015.
When will the Pistons games be streamed on Fox Sports Detroit?
The Pistons will be a team in the hunt, and SVG is probably starting to feel the pressure of getting this franchise back to the postseason. Even if Detroit splits the difference, it moves the Pistons’ six-year high of 32 wins last season to 44 this year, and a certain playoff spot.
Not that the Pistons can afford to move Meeks right now.
The 6-foot-11 Drummond is certainly capable of lifting the Pistons with a big season.
Last season in Phoenix, Mook averaged 10.4 points in 25.2 minutes per game while shooting 35.8 percent from downtown.
He needs to be, because the Pistons don’t have the horses to compete (even in the East) without at least one player coming up with All-Star-typical production.
Van Gundy inherited Dumars’ last ill-fitting roster, and as he tried to make the pieces align, the Pistons belly-flopped out of the gate. So, sure, Morris can handle it. If Van Gundy decides to go with Ilyasova as the starter at power forward, it won’t be because he doesn’t think Morris can hold up defensively.
While Johnson, by virtue of being a lottery pick, came to the team with high expectations, Bullock was practically an afterthought. The team played well in stretches after a 5-23 start. Until he does, Johnson’s poise, versatility and ability to make plays off the dribble are a very nice fit with a second unit that includes Steve Blake or Spencer Dinwiddie at the point and Jodie Meeks and Anthony Tolliver running off screens with Aron Baynes serving as a pick-and-pop threat.
Detroit’s most encouraging span last season – a seven-game winning streak that began in late December – coincided with a terrific stretch of basketball from Brandon Jennings. To the extent Jackson is penetrating and making good decisions and Drummond is pulling defenders to him to prevent easy lobs and put-back baskets, the jobs of the players surrounding them become that much easier.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has mostly dulled the home crowd with his performances during his initial two seasons, and his starting turn under Van Gundy in 2014-15 was hardly inspiring. Ilyasova also has the potential to lead the team in 3-point makes and that could be an especially valuable weapon to start games and give Reggie Jackson driving lanes and Andre Drummond room to operate in the post, find space for lob passes and create lanes to crash the offensive glass.
The Pistons could at a few point field a starting lineup of Drummond (22 years old), Ilyasova (28), Johnson (19), Caldwell-Pope (22) and Jackson (25). Drummond’s offensive game could use more polish, and if he can improve his free throws (39 percent last season) then he’ll be even harder to defend.
“We’ll just have to see”, Van Gundy said. 500 in his coaching career. They also had to deal with the Josh Smith saga and Monroe’s free agency hanging over everything. In Drummond, Van Gundy had a fair replica of a young Dwight Howard, his cornerstone player with the Magic.
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Drummond is an intimidating shot-blocking presence and a terrific rebounder, but the Pistons have not been a great defensive team lately, and that’s another improvement Van Gundy can hope to see in his second season with Detroit.
