For every NBA team that is on a roll, there is a team that isn't. That's why we need the doctor -- Dr. Jack Ramsay. Each week in Dr. Jack's Prescription, the Hall of Fame coach will analyze a team in distress, and offer a cure to what ails them.
This week: Detroit Pistons
|  | | Despite Stackhouse scoring 30 a night, the Pistons have problems. |
The Symptoms
Detroit was forced into a personnel makeover after the loss of free agent
starters Grant Hill, Lindsey Hunter and Christian Laettner. Essentially, it
replaced that trio with Joe Smith, Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins to form a
nucleus with high-scoring Jerry Stackhouse and defender Michael Curry. They also kept
big man reserves Jerome Williams and Mikki Moore, and later acquired Dana
Barros and John Wallace. The Pistons also had high hopes for their No. 1 draftee,
point guard Mateen Cleaves, of Michigan State's NCAA champion team. The team
started the season with eyes on a playoff spot.
But the only time the Pistons got above .500 this season was after their
opening game win at Toronto. After that they lost four straight games; then won
seven of their next 12 to draw almost even (8-9). Since then, the Pistons have
won eight and lost 20, to reach their current record of 16-29 (through Jan. 30). They have won two
games in a row only once -- home games against Chicago and Boston on the day
before and the day after Christmas.
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| B. Wallace |
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| J. Smith |
The Diagnosis
The Pistons have an offense-oriented team game. They hope to outscore their
opponents. But although the Pistons score 95 ppg, and Stackhouse is the
league's second leading scorer at just under 30 ppg, the scoring is unevenly
distributed. After Stackhouse's high point total, the two next best scorers,
Smith and Atkins, average only 25 ppg combined. Those three shoot with only
41 percent accuracy.
Detroit's offense relies so heavily on the Stacker, that opposing teams
double-team him, get the ball out of his hands, and gamble that his teammates
won't hit with enough consistency to hurt them. Most of the time the
opposition is right -- Detroit shoots .435 from the field, a mark that ranks
in the bottom third in the league.
The Pistons also are without a strong offensive presence in the basket area.
Smith is their best post player but he lacks dominating moves with his back
to the basket. So, although they hold their own on the boards due to the
consistent board work of Ben Wallace (12 rpg) and score on occasional fast
breaks, the Pistons are essentially a perimeter team -- relying on jumpers in
half-court offense. Stackhouse, who has a fine shooting touch and is an
excellent slasher to the hoop, forces too many attempts in his efforts to
carry the offensive load. As a team, Detroit commits more turnovers (16) than
it forces from the opposition.
At the defensive end of the floor, the Pistons allow four more points than they
score (95-99 ppg). They rank 27th in points allowed and 20th in field goal
percentage defense. Their perimeter defense is porous and there's
inconsistent help in the basket area, a bad combination for a team with
playoff aspirations.
In their recent loss to Boston, Detroit had double-digit leads through most
of the game only to collapse down the stretch. That calamity prompted coach
George Irvine to say, "I guess we thought the game was over. We couldn't
guard, we turned the ball over. Our play was horrid in the second half."
I watched that game and don't disagree with the coach. The Pistons appeared
to have the game under control, but kept giving the Celtics chances to get
back in the game and they took advantage of them.
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| Curry |
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| Atkins |
The Cure
There is no quick fix for the Pistons. Their playoff hopes -- even in the
up-for grabs Eastern Conference -- appear to be dissipating. They've won only
two of their last 10 games. Some drastic change is necessary for them to make
a concerted push after the All-Star break.
Perhaps their best chance to turn around their season would be to establish
an all-out trapping defensive game that would force opponent turnovers and
generate an uptempo offensive game. The Pistons have enough depth and
athleticism to do this for extended minutes. They aren't stopping opponents
with any consistency with their half-court defense anyway; so there may be
benefits in extending the defense to get everybody involved in a
three-quarter court trapping scheme.
Ben Wallace and Moore have shot-blocking
potential to guard the basket that would have to be realized; but Williams,
Smith and Jud Buechler are active mid-range defenders; and among Stackhouse,
Atkins, Cleaves, Curry and Barros there are enough energizers to harass
opponents at the perimeter. Irvine would have to create a place for John
Wallace, not known for his defensive skills, in this effort because he could
help the team's offense with his low-post scoring.
There would have to be a real dedication to work on defense -- to keep
non-stop pressure on opponents, rebound aggressively, then to push the ball
relentlessly on the attack -- even after scores against. But it might be just
the tactic to get the team untracked.
There is real firepower among these Pistons. The challenge is to get them
hitting on all cylinders with a productive level of consistency. A change in
defense might be just the thing to get them going.
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ALSO SEE
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Hornets
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Jazz
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Grizzlies
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Nuggets
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Nets
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Heat
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Sonics
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Bucks
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Raptors
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