Detroit Pistons Weekly Watch: Going Backwards

The Pistons are currently in the midst of a 12 game losing streak.  It is their fifth worse in franchise history and their longest since the 1993-94 season, which they closed out with 13 consecutive losses.  The Pistons lost at Dallas 98-93; at San Antonio 112-92; and at the Palace to Philadelphia 104-94.

 The Pistons have regressed in each of the losses.  They went toe to toe with the Mavericks throughout the whole game; competed for the first three quarters against the Spurs before collapsing in the fourth quarter; and they started the game lifeless against the Sixers, spotting them a 29 point lead.

The Pistons are a 40 win team, who were crippled by injuries at the start of the season and have had their confidence shaken now.  If they don’t get their heads and spirits restored in the near future, any hope of a playoff berth this season will soon be out of reach.

Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon, and Charlie Villanueva have returned from their injuries.  But Will Bynum has missed the last five games with a pair of sprained ankles.  And in the last game, Rodney Stuckey (right knee), Prince (left knee), and Gordon (tweaked hamstring) have been hobbled with new injuries.  All four players are day-to-day.  This season has perhaps been the most injury-plagued in franchise history.

Coach Kuester has been doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances, but his lineup choices over the last two weeks have been puzzling.  The starting frontcourt of Ben Wallace and Jason Maxiell are challenged for offensive production.  Relegating Charlie Villanueva to the bench has taken away the starting unit’s ability to spread offenses and starting Jason Maxiell has come at the expense of playing time for Jonas Jerebko, who has become a defensive and rebounding stalwart for Detroit.  Chris Wilcox has given the Pistons scoring and rebounding off the bench, but has struggled defensively.  Austin Daye has not been given the same latitude to play through his mistakes.  And Kwame Brown, who is a steady defender and rebounder, has been mysteriously taken out of the regular rotation.

The Pistons are not playing smart and with consistent effort.  Coach Kuester is not maximizing the Pistons’ talent and giving the young players aside from Rodney Stuckey the chance to develop.

For the Pistons to get back on track with a rebuilding effort that Joe Dumars has said isn’t a rebuilding effort, they must:

1.  Make use of their offensive firepower since they lack the personnel to play lockdown defense.
2. Stop playing a short veteran lineup and develop a bench with their young players.
3. Establish a team identity with the new corps of players this season.
4. Use a likely high draft pick, their upcoming MLE, and trades to net a young big man to center the frontcourt and a point guard to give direction to the offense.  

When he is not contributing content here at Midwest Sports Fans, Boris is the administrator of Club Pistons, one of the best Detroit Pistons fan forums on the web.