Ryan Field fluff piece: What we know about the Pistons after 20 games
It's no worse than his hair, I guess.
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What we know about the Pistons after 20 games
By Ryan Field
FOX Sports Detroit
Much like 40 games in baseball gives you an adequate amount of time to judge where your team is at, in the NBA world, 20 games is a realistic measuring stick.
The problem for Joe Dumars and the Pistons is: How do you judge where this team is at, or what it could be, considering all that has unfolded thus far?
Injuries to Rip and Tay, and no lesser ones to Will Bynum and Ben Gordon, have not only affected playing rotations and outcomes, but perhaps more important, hasn't given the front office a fair shake to figure out what to do next.
Before the season started, it was widely believed the team would make at least one "big” trade before the deadline, and either Rip or Tay would most likely be involved in any deal. But they've combined to play in only four games, and their trade value has to have taken a hit, especially with Prince's back injury.
Yes, the good news is both appear to be making a return within the next week or two, and after some wrinkles are worked out, this team should be looking like it was supposed to at the beginning of the season. That being said, in talking to John Kuester at Tuesday's practice, he said he has learned a lot about this team in the absence of two of its best players.
One, the young guys can play. Jonas Jerebko may just be the steal of the draft, while Austin Daye has really taken advantage of his limited playing time by showing he can knock down a big shot or two. Don't forget about Dujuan Summers, either. He'll have a chance to show what he can do before it's all said and done.
Two, Ben Wallace looks like, well, Ben Wallace. It truly is remarkable what he's been able to bring at the age of 35. Being back in familiar surroundings has definitely been a big part of his resurgence.
Three, Rodney Stuckey just may end up being the player the Pistons think he can be after all. Stuckey, while he continues to show growing pains from time to time, has also become a much better floor general this season. He's getting better at knowing when to attack and when to defer to his teammates, and that will only make him a more complete player in the long run.
And four, and perhaps most important, Kuester was the right man for the job. This team, despite the injuries, plays its heart out for him on a nightly basis and is never really out of a game until the final horn. What he's done, along with the help of a great staff, has only solidified Dumars' assertion that Kuester is a perfect fit for this team. He's been great with the younger players, and outside of his Xs and Os, has shown the fire and intensity that was sorely lacking under the Michael Curry regime.
All told, better times are ahead for the Pistons, and a clean bill of health would be a big step in the right direction.
