Certain teams, players, and subplots tend to dominate NBA discourse.
The Warriors, as it turns out, are pretty good at basketball. LeBron is a robot incapable of aging (why Cleveland will be fine). Lonzo Ball did this, LaVar Ball said that. Giannis and Kristaps are taking big leaps.
But there comes a point every season when a quieter story can no longer be ignored. For the Detroit Pistons, currently second in the East with a 13-6 record, that point has been reached.
On Monday, the Pistons beat the team with the NBA’s best record — the Celtics — at TD Garden, 118-108.
Through 19 games, they already have toppled Boston, Golden State, Minnesota and Oklahoma City — all on the road. Raise your hand if you thought they’d win even one of those matchups.
It was just two years ago that Detroit crept into the playoffs at 44-38, only to be promptly swept by the Cavs. Last season, virtually the same roster regressed, going 37-45 and finishing 10th in the East. Naturally, doubts about their future swelled.
Some changes were made over the summer. Detroit said goodbye to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and swapped Marcus Morris for Avery Bradley, among smaller moves. But again: It wasn’t sufficient to convince anyone this was a team to look out for.
So, what has sparked the turnaround? It’s simple, really. Core guys stepping up.
Here’s what happened in their victory against Boston, and — to a less extreme degree — has been happening all season.
1. Andre Drummond played like an All-Star. The big man put up 2K numbers: 26 points (on 10-of-12), 22 rebounds (a season high), six assists and four steals. While he hasn’t done THAT on a nightly basis, Drummond is averaging 14.4 points, a league-leading 15.6 rebounds and a career-high 3.5 assists. He also is converting 62 percent of his free throws, up from a dismal 39 percent last season.
2. Tobias Harris was a sharpshooter. The Long Island product notched 31 points on 11-of-16 from the field and 5-of-6 from 3. For the season, he is averaging a career-best 19.1 points and shooting 47 percent from deep (10th in the league).
3. Reggie Jackson was efficient. In 28 minutes, the point guard registered 20 points on 7-of-10. He has appeared in all 19 games and has been proficient: 46 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3 and 92 percent from the line.
4. Avery Bradley helped on defense. Against his former team, Bradley made things difficult on Kyrie Irving, who finished with 18 points on 6-of-16 and committed six turnovers. Bradley, averaging 1.42 steals, is one reason the Pistons have the seventh ranked defense in the NBA.
5. The team delivered in the fourth. Boston and Detroit were knotted at 86-86 heading into the last 12 minutes. You know what the final score was, so you can do the math. Late surges have propelled the Pistons this year, as they currently rank first in the league in fourth-quarter margin (+3.7).
Will all of this last? Probably not. But enough of it has, and enough of it will, to warrant a closer eye on this Pistons squad.
The David Fizdale firing should raise eyebrows. Yes, the Grizzlies had dropped eight in a row — but five of those losses were to teams currently in the playoffs (two to the Rockets) and six came without All-Star-caliber point guard Mike Conley. With tensions mounting, especially in the wake of the Marc Gasol benching, it seemed as if Memphis felt unnecessarily compelled to do something.
So I guess Victor Oladipo feels at home in Indiana, huh? The 25-year-old shooting guard, no longer taking a backseat to Russell Westbrook, is averaging career highs in points (23), rebounds (5.1), field goal percentage (47), and 3-point percentage (46). Oh, and the Pacers are astoundingly 12-9.
Contrary to popular belief, there is still a basketball team playing in Chicago, and rookie Lauri Markkanen has taken center stage. The 7-footer from Finland has silenced critics with team highs in points (14.4) and rebounds (8.3).