For the first time this basketball season, the Pistons have won three games in a row and have done so without the contributions from Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton being on the court. Is this a coincidence or a sign from the basketball Gods?
Also, in a previous article I wrote about how third year guard Rodney Stuckey is better suited for the shooting guard position and that Piston newcomer Tracy McGrady has a better grasp for controlling tempo and distributing the ball. During this three-game winning streak, Tracy McGrady has been running the point and Rodney Stuckey has moved to the shooting guard position. Is this a coincidence or do we here at The Sports Jury have a following in Auburn Hills coaching the Pistons? Please read the article The Pistons don’t get the Point with Rodney Stuckey! and check the date before you decide.
The pending or not pending trade of Rip Hamilton and injury to forward/center “Big” Ben Wallace has forced second year coach John Kuester into his most successful rotation offensively and defensively. Being able to start forward/center Chris Wilcox next to rookie forward/center Greg Monroe has given the Pistons a little more inside scoring punch then it had with Big Ben and Charlie V while also controlling the glass. The line-up changes has also allowed hired scorers Charlie V & Ben Gordon to come off the bench into games and fire away, which puts a huge strain on Piston opponents second units which is why the Pistons have the highest bench scoring average in the NBA.
The third quarter woes that have plagued the Pistons throughout the first half of the season is now the same quarter that they have used to control the tempo and exploit opposing team defenses, outscoring opponents by a double-digit average over the last three games. A three-game winning streak is not much at all compared to some of the elite teams 10-game plus winning streaks, but in a top-heavy Eastern conference, a three-game winning streak can be the difference between a Cinderella-type playoff run we have all witnessed over the years and a very long summer vacation. In this economy, every franchise, city and state could use the extra revenue from an extended season of one of its beloved sports teams. So every little bit counts when you think along those lines.
As the Pistons continue to look for the puzzle pieces that will get them back into the class of the NBA elite through trade and injury, it’s now clear that they must also change the puzzle!