Sure, it's always fun to see your team's rock go into the hoop more than the opposition's rock does, and if the style they get the rock to go into the hoop is at least mildly entertaining, then it's just gravy. Save the referees trying to take over the Detroit Pistons-Milwaukee Bucks game by trying out their new whistles, the portion that I caught wasn't too bad.
Being that the Milwaukee Bucks are the Pistons Central Division foes, we will keep an extra close eye on them. I'd expect most would want to keep a close eye on them anyway, as they are arguably the NBA's most talented up-and-coming squad.
Yes, everyone knows they have a long way to go.
The Pistons are a just notch or two below the Bucks in terms of talent, intrigue and dare I say potential (I apologize, the word 'potential' is thrown around more than a hot potato in kindergarten, and I'm just as guilty for using it). As both fight their way to relevancy, I hope a meaningful rivalry can develop where the several really promising young talents between these two grow to dislike each other yet have that mutual professional respect.
The Bucks do have outside shooting concerns that have been talked about last year and continue to be since the Monroe signing (and since the Brandon Knight - Michael Carter-Williams deal). These concerns were apparent during Saturday night, even if it was puny preseason ball. If the building block / big minute guys (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and MCW) don't markedly improve their outside shooting, defenses will continue to clog the paint, making it harder for the squad to find those mid-range J's, those easier buckets and to cash in on the advantages of Monroe's poetic post talents.
Outside of Khris Middleton, O.J. Mayo and Greivis Vasquez (Jerryd Bayless as a reach), the Bucks don't have any other veteran threats from long range. Point being, as things stand, there are not going to be many times when the Bucks have at least three long ball threats on the court. You need that to be consistently good in today's NBA. That's the main hurdle for the Bucks to be top three team in the East and actually be relevant.
We know the Pistons have a similar concern as to whether the squad can consistently put quality long range shooters on the court around a play-making point guard and a cornerstone back to the basket big man. With the Pistons having made an obvious effort to solve the problem through different channels, now comes the time when guys have to produce.
Easier said than done.
As we saw up close last season so sadly with Detroit (yet again), having talent on the court isn't everything. It must fit together with the desired system. I believe for both of these squads the talent will be able to fit the system and the potential will be maximized. The coaches and players will be on the same page. Of course it won't all come together this season, but we will see great strides.
And, let's always breath easy knowing Josh Smith is far, far away from these two impressionable rosters.
Alright, now to it.
Bucks vs. Pistons Final Score: Bucks try new starting lineup, but still fall to Pistons -- Brew Hoop
Thorough post-game thoughts from the Bucks side and a nice highlight video of the game to boot.
New Pistons forward Marcus Morris off to a good start -- Detroit Free Press
I would say Marcus has gotten off to a perhaps decent start in a Pistons uni. If you had a chance to catch some of the Bucks game on Saturday, you noticed Marcus Morris made his presence felt much more so than he did in the first two preseason games. On Saturday he often took difficult shots and made them. Sometimes the rock falls in the hoop, making the game easier and the analysis more positive. Let's see how Marcus plays for the remainder of the preseason.
Know Your New Orleans Pelicans Opponent: Detroit Pistons Q&A -- Pelican Debrief
Pelican Debrief is doing a Q&A with all 29 other NBA teams. The gentleman answering the questions is Brian Beebe, a Pistons fan who writes at Hardwood Paroxysm. It's all worth a read.
1. Andre Drummond finished second in the league in total rebound percentage last year. Omer Asik was third by a decent margin. Which is more likely, Drummond leads the league this year or Asik passes him?
Brian: This is a great question, and coming at it from a Pistons fan perspective, could be a big hidden stat leading to the Pistons success this season. Drummond finished 2nd to DeAndre Jordan in this stat last year, but played alongside Greg Monroe (Bucks) who was more of a rebounder than newly acquired Ersan Ilyasova will be. And with rookie Stanley Johnson and KCP likely to take minutes at the 3, there will be plenty of ballboards (RIP MOSES) for Drummond to suck up.
But if Drummond cannot improve his wretched FT percentage, I'm not sure how he can stay on the floor when teams go Hack-A-Dre. That didn't happen routinely last year, but could potentially be an issue worth monitoring this season.
Asik still has that Anthony Davis guy taking up rebounds in New Orleans, so I'm hopeful in saying Drummond continues his upward trend as one of the league's premier rebounders. The Pistons will need that number to hold steady if they are going to challenge for a playoff spot.
Dunc'd On Pod: Detroit Pistons Preview With Dan Feldman -- RealGM
If you want to listen to a RealGM podcast featuring Dan Feldman (PistonPowered founder) talking about the Pistons, have at it. [Ed. Note - speaking of podcast, the DBB podcast will be back. Stay tuned!)
CLICK OVER HERE! --> Detroit Bad Boys
In case you somehow missed it, work from DBB's own Christopher Daniels.
Video: Terrico White's monster block -- Twitter via Bright Side of the Sun
Former Pistons 2nd round pick Terrico White making the most out of his limited preseason minutes so far.
'Italian Legend' Brian Scalabrine Unrecognized in Milan -- csnne.com
Belinelli? Check. Gallinari? Check. Bargnani? Check. Datome? Check.
Scalabrine? ... Nope.
Now to the comments we go!