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Even the loss to the Atlanta Hawks was impressive. Andre Drummond likely should not have played that game at all. And what if he hadn't? Anthony Tolliver was big in the game with 15 points in such a short time (I think at one point he had 10 points in his first five minutes). With Drummond out, Detroit surged back to make the end result respectable. Anyways, I am sure that the media even looked at that loss as a positive for the Pistons. Here is your weekly NBA Power Rankings roundup.
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Last Week: 25This Week: 21 |
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The bad news is the Pistons' winning streak stopped at seven when they were pecked in the eyes by the Hawks. The good news is they immediately bounced back with a win over the Brooklyn Nets. Detroit is building a f***ing wall one winning streak at a time.
Sounds like someone is on the bandwagon!
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Last Week: 21This Week: 16 |
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Our pals over at numberFire.com say Detroit's playoff odds are up to 24.2 percent. Before waiving Josh Smith, those same friends rated the Pistons' playoff chances at 4.2 percent. For the record: No team in history has ever started 5-23 or worse through 28 games and reached the playoffs.
Y'all ready to make history boys?
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Last Week: 27This Week: 19 |
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The Pistons who have surged since waiving Josh Smith are now only three games out of the final playoff spot.
An eight-spot jump. It is about time you recognized. DETROIT BASKETBALL!!!!!!!!!!!
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Last Week: 23This Week: 19 |
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This is why the NBA is amazing. Keep your other sports. In the NBA, a team can cut its highest-paid player and go on an incredible seven-game winning streak -- including a win over the defending champs in their building. This league is nuts, and that's what makes it great.
Meh, that is not the full story though. It was Joe's bonehead move to pay him that much in the first place. You honestly cannot blame Josh Smith for that. But, you can blame him for not seeming to buy in (speculation). If you look at Cleveland, they are playing right now as if they cut their highest paid player, and it is not pretty (and I'm loving every second of it).
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Last Week: 25This Week: 21 |
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Stan Van Gundy's build a (expletive) wall might end up the quote of the season.
When you call it "just an inconsequential timeout", but people are making t-shirts from it, you are either fooling yourself or trying to avoid a fine.
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Last Week: 18This Week: 16 |
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The Pistons' post-Josh-Smith mojo was no match for the Hawks' post-Thanksgiving mojo, but Detroit continued to build a ****ing wall toward a playoff spot with a win over Brooklyn on Saturday. Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe have played less than 16 minutes per game together since Smith's departure, so they're getting 32-plus minutes of floor spacing.
Folks, that saying is going nowhere. Now the question becomes, what is this era's name? I mean, Pittsburgh has the Steel Curtain. "The Wall" just does not sound right (the name, not the CD). "The Builders"? No, none of their names are Bob. Any ideas?
Overall
By the way, for anyone interested, here are some of those shirts
- Public Friendly 1 ($19.99)
- Public Friendly 2 ($24.89-$39.89)
- Public Friendly 3 ($20.00 - closed)
- Public Friendly 4 ($25.00)
- Explicit 1 ($20.00-$22.00)
- Explicit 2 ($12.00)
The Pistons have another four games this week. The toughest of the bunch is likely tonight at Toronto as the Raptors hold the second best record in the Eastern Conference. However, games at home against the New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers, plus one more away at Indiana, should be easy (though not foregone) wins. It is a week that should help push us closer to a playoff spot.
Weekly Forecast
A new addition to the Power Ranking roundup is the Weekly Forecast. With the Pistons having a legitimate shot at making the playoffs, despite the horrific 5-23 start to the season, I will give you a preview of the games for the week and who we want (not who will) to win in hopes of moving us up the standings. Obviously, any game Detroit plays we want to win.
Monday
- New Orleans at Boston - New Orleans
- Houston at Brooklyn - Houston
- Detroit at Toronto - Detroit, duh!
- Orlando at Chicago - Chicago
Tuesday
- Minnesota at Indiana - Minnesota
- Atlanta at Philadelphia - Atlanta
- San Antonio at Washington - Does not matter, would prefer San Antonio
- Cleveland at Phoenix - Phoenix
- Miami at LA Lakers - LA Lakers
Wednesday
- San Antonio at Charlotte - San Antonio
- Houston at Orlando - Houston
- Memphis at Brooklyn - Memphis
- New Orleans at Detroit - Detroit, duh!
- Philadelphia at Toronto - Does not matter, would prefer Philadelphia
- Washington at Chicago - Does not matter, would prefer Washington
- Atlanta at Boston - Atlanta
- Miami at Golden State - Golden State
Thursday
- New York at Milwaukee - Would prefer New York, but...
- Cleveland at LA Lakers - LA Lakers
Friday
- Detroit at Indiana - Detroit, duh!
- Memphis at Orlando - Memphis
- New Orleans at Philadelphia - New Orleans
- Brooklyn at Washington - Washington
- Chicago at Boston - Ugh, I have to pick on? Chicago.
- Atlanta at Toronto - Does not matter, would prefer Atlanta
- Miami at Sacramento - Sacramento
- Cleveland at LA Clippers - LA Clippers
Saturday
- Indiana at Charlotte - Does not matter, would prefer Charlotte
- Philadelphia at Detroit - Detroit, duh!
- Atlanta at Chicago - Does not matter, would prefer Atlanta
- Washington at Brooklyn - Washington
Sunday
- Oklahoma City at Orlando - Oklahoma City
There are only three games that separate the 7th and 12th place teams in the Eastern Conference. On the off chance that this schedule were to play out as I hope for the week, the Pistons would be 17-24 (.415) and the Pistons would be sitting in the seventh playoff spot. Just food for thought.