FanPost

Doubling Up! One big reason the Pistons can be a beast in the East.

In a Stan Van Gundy team, first option is dumping it to the big man down low. Second option is running the pick-and-roll with point and center. 3-point gunners would punish any double team or help thrown by the defensive team. In his first coaching stint in Orlando he made the 2008-2009 NBA Finals with Dwight Howard at center and Jameer Nelson at point. Shooters included Hedo Turkoglu (36%), Rashard Lewis (40%) and Courtney Lee (40%). This upcoming season his Piston’s will sport it’s own version of the Stan’s Magic with Andre Drummond at center, Reggie Jackson at point, Jodie Meeks (35%), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (35%) and Ersan İlyasova (39%). But don’t think Stan takes things for granted. Just like he did in Orlando, the second coming of Van Gundy means doubling up on everything.

A Van Gundy team has a form. great center, good to great point guard play and wing shooters a plenty. But the coach knows rest and injuries mean planning for and acquiring the right subs is also key to a successful season. So like his Orlando team, he has mimicked it all the way down to his bench, ensuring that it can at least provide consistently all the aspects, if to a lesser degree, that the starters do. Here is a comparison of how the 2008-2009 Magic Team’s bench looked and how the 2015-2016 Pistons are following the same strategy of doubling up.

Orlando had Howard as its center but had a great back up in Marcin Gortat, aka "The Polish Hammer." Not quite the force that Howard is defensively, but still good and definitely a far better shooter, Gortat is now the Washington Wizard’s starting center. The team also had Adonal Foyle, who was known as a shot-blocking center who one season blocked 2.5 shots in around 25 minutes per game.

For the Pistons, backing up center Drummond is Aron Baynes. Like Gortat, he does not measure up to Drummond in the rim-protecting department. However, like Gortat, he can shoot the ball with range (his percentage from beyond 15 feet higher than Gortat). And if shot blocking is needed, newly signed Joel Anthony will put his trademark skill on display.

Orlando had Jameer Nelson at the point and was backed up by Rafer Alston. Alston was a heady point guard who averaged over 5.1 assists backing up Nelson. Former starting guard Brandon Jennings who, prior to injury and the trade for Jackson was averaging 6.6 assists last season backs up Reggie Jackson for Detroit. Orlando also had a quality third point n Anthony Johnson and so does this year’s Pistons with well-regarded veteran Steve Blake.

What about the 3-point shooters? Besides, Turkoglu, Lee and, then, $110-million man Lewis, Orlando had wings J.J. Reddick (37% and last season was the starting 2-guard for the Los Angeles Clippers) and Mickaël Piétrus (36%). Detroit will have, besides Meeks, KCP and Ilyasova, rookie Stanley Johnson (37% college range), Marcus Morris (36%) and another rookie Darrun Hilliard who is known for his long-range marksmanship.

So as you can see, Stan’s plan goes beyond just having a strategy. His plan reaches down to planning beyond the starters, and gets bench players who not only to fill roles but also specialize in them. This will allow the Pistons to be very competitive and consistent throughout the grueling 82-game season. Something you can’t say for most of the Eastern teams who accumulate talent but whose players have far more undefined and uncertain roles (if you haven’t checked out Hypnowheel’s post,take a look as he gives a lot of good insight on the state of the pretenders in the Eastern Conference).

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