Pistons Lose the First Of Many to the Pacers
by Gautham Nagesh
Perhaps the best thing Pistons fans can take away from Monday’s season opener in Indianapolis is the knowledge they will only be subjected to this squad for 66 games. The Pistons are not only bad, but also maddeningly old and overpaid. While there are some intriguing young pieces, they aren’t sufficient to promise a brighter future. The final tally of 91-79 for the Pacers was far closer than the actual contest.
The Stones are stuck in neutral, having failed in their attempt to stay competitive while overhauling their aging core. Instead they keep paying for the costly mistakes of recent summers. The signings of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva continue to plague the franchise, tying up valuable dollars and playing time that would be better spent on almost anyone.
Gordon stunk up the joint Monday while shooting four for 14 en route to a laborious 14 points. Villanueva simply didn’t show up, suspended for four games after an idiotic tirade against the Cavaliers last year. If he were a fighter, Charlie V would be Zab Judah: no heart and no eyebrows.
Gordon is better, but not much. At this point he is little more than streaky spot-up shooter and nothing close to a primary scoring option. The fact the offense relies on him producing consistently should give Lawrence Frank an ulcer. There a number of more efficient uses of the ball like punting it into the upper deck.
Despite a squad long on “combo guards” there isn’t a true leader in the bunch, at least not where half-court offense is concerned. At least rookie Brandon Knight showed plenty of courage and a quick release while nailing a trio of triples that barely moved the net. Gordon’s minutes and shots should rightly be his.
The starting backcourt combination of Gordon and Rodney Stuckey is particularly laughable, as if their common lack of playmaking instincts will somehow offset each other. Gordon is a gunner without the handle or passing skills to man the point for any length of time. Stuckey is a power guard that will force the issue to get into the paint, where he can kick it out, shoot the mid-range jumper or finish at the rim. He will likely lead the team in scoring at roughly 16 points per game this season and work for every single one. Nothing comes easily to him in the game, a sure sign his ceiling is not as high as we’d previously hoped.
The team’s main deficiency, however, is up front. Second-year center Greg Monroe is intelligent but undersized, skilled enough to be the focus but lacking the personality to demand the ball. He was handled inside by Pacers center Roy Hibbert, who schooled the younger Hoya like they were back at Georgetown. Starting power forward Jonas Jerebko is an energy guy that can run the floor and fill up the stat sheet but would come off the bench of any contender.
Reserve Jason Maxiell can bang and play some D but both he and Ben Wallace will offer next to nothing on offense. Wallace remains savvy on defense and hopeless with the ball in his hands. Both can play roles but neither will solve the gaping hole in the paint. Villanueva is obviously not the answer. Without a formidable presence on the block to complement Monroe in the high post this unit cannot hope to cope with even mediocre opposition.
Unsurprisingly, the Pistons are a very poor rebounding team. The Pacers held a 53-40 edge and took advantage of 18 offensive boards to stake a 24-point lead in the second half. The lack of size at guard only exacerbates the weakness. But rebounding is as much about desire and toughness as talent and height, so hopefully Frank can force some progress on that front at the least.
Tayshaun Prince is the team’s best player and the only one who can be relied upon to consistently make the correct decision with the ball. But the rest of his game has suffered when he has been asked to carry a greater offensive load and he will likely be called upon to lead the team on the frequent nights when Gordon’s jumper isn’t falling. Willowy third-year forward Austin Daye has shown flashes of scoring punch but he will struggle for minutes and doesn’t contribute much outside of his shooting. If somehow Dumars manages to jettison Gordon and move Stuckey to his natural position at the two Daye could serve as a 6-11 backup.
With his boyish face, striped shirt and yellow tie Frank looked a teenager on his first day of prep school. With excellent coaching and exceptional effort this team could perhaps win as many as 25 to 30 games but more likely he will be pleading with Dumars and new team owner Tom Gores for another year to make an impact on the roster. Luckily the free preview of NBA League Pass means I will get several opportunities to figure out whether this team is merely rusty or indeed this awful. Either way it’s unlikely that Detroit fans need worry about the prolonged postseason interfering with their summer vacation plans in 2012.