Satisfaction with the Pistons' progress this season?

[Laimbeer]

Poll aboard

[DocRI]

It's funny that I found this such a tough choice!

I went with "A Little More," even though I expected us to be right around .500 (exactly where we are), because I think we're actually a little bit better than our record. I mean, our schedule has been among the toughest, we had a couple of truly fluke losses (damn you twice, Memphis!), and we got hammered by injuries and illness these past few weeks before the break. Plus, we have a number of individual players who have absolutely outperformed my expectations — in order of over-performance: Dre, Mook, Baynes (who I expected nothing from), KCP and RJ. And I'm leaving Stanley and Hilliard off that list simply 'cuz their rookies, but both of them have exceeded my expectations as well.

Overall, big picture, we're right where I thought we'd be, but it's HOW we got here that has me more optimistic. Quite honestly, we're not just a typical .500 team; due to being so young, our good nights are REALLY good (like running the Warriors off the court level good) and our bad nights are REALLY bad (like losing to the Lakers and Nets level bad). And it's the potential we flash on those "up nights" that exceeds my expectations and has me excited.

[Kilo]

Record a little more, but individually a little less. I expected more wins against the bad teams we lost to, and close losses to most good teams (including the ones we beat). I'm content with our record, but not how we got it if that makes sense. And I though Dre and Reggie would be much better, didn't expect KCP or Mook to provide as much as they did.

[Billl]

0.500 and fighting for a playoff spot . That's about what I was expecting.

[Spider156]

Lol didn't ESPN have us at 27 wins? Or was it 37? Regardless it's looking like my original prediction. I'm still sticking to 40-45 wins, now more likely 45. Everyone usually complains about us winning "useless" games and dropping down the lottery list. This year I expect to win those useless games and make the Playoffs.

[Arp590]

I mean if you think about it, we are about where we expected to be before the season. In yet a lot of us are disappointed because of how strong we looked at the beginning of the season.. kind of raised our expectations.

As long as we get a playoff spot i'll be satisfied, we need it bad.

[Warspite]

I expected the team to start slower and turn the corner with a winning streak around the all star break. What worries me is that we seem to be doing that in reverse.

[Snakebites]

If you had told me this was where we'd be now at the beginning of the year I'd have probably been pretty happy with that. My expectations got a little higher in the midst of the season though. The break is well timed. Hopefully we'll come out of it playing better.

[Pharaoh]

Extremely impressed thus far. We're like SJ:

Showing glimpses of what we could be while at times looking lost in an ocean full of sharks!

[detroitKG]

People on here have to understand the circumstances the last few games...injuries and heavy minutes have caught up with us and this break is very well timed..We have a home heavy schedule down the stretch so I don't see why we dont make the playoffs..barring health.

[Laimbeer]

People on here have to understand the circumstances the last few games...injuries and heavy minutes have caught up with us and this break is very well timed..We have a home heavy schedule down the stretch so I don't see why we dont make the playoffs..barring health.

God I hope you're right. I feel like it's been forever since the playoffs.

[vic]

main reason i'm not satisfied is because I see younger coaches adjusting to the new game... Boston, GSW... even Milwaukee recently changed their lineup and is winning by playing less bigs, more wings...

http://www.brewhoop.com/2016/2/11/10973116/bucks-vs-wizards-final-score-khris-middleton-jabari-parker?_ga=1.56891818.1893167515.1397586273

I wish SVG would do the same

[hoophabit]

main reason i'm not satisfied is because I see younger coaches adjusting to the new game... Boston, GSW... even Milwaukee recently changed their lineup and is winning by playing less bigs, more wings...

http://www.brewhoop.com/2016/2/11/10973116/bucks-vs-wizards-final-score-khris-middleton-jabari-parker?_ga=1.56891818.1893167515.1397586273

I wish SVG would do the same

I'm sincerely a little uncertain what you're saying? All season long SVG has gone with the one in four out. Only in the last game before the AS break did he put Baynes and Drummond on the floor together, and then out of necessity? Poor shooting and failure to prevent penetration are the Piston's problems, IMO.

[The Penguin]

main reason i'm not satisfied is because I see younger coaches adjusting to the new game... Boston, GSW... even Milwaukee recently changed their lineup and is winning by playing less bigs, more wings...

http://www.brewhoop.com/2016/2/11/10973116/bucks-vs-wizards-final-score-khris-middleton-jabari-parker?_ga=1.56891818.1893167515.1397586273

I wish SVG would do the same

Those teams you mentioned have a lot more depth than we do. The last few years under Joe this team had very little to nothing on the wings, KCP was a rookie Joe's last year and otherwise we were throwing Josh Smith out at SF and Singler, who is now starting to look a little better in OKC as more of a small ball 4. Stan has helped develop KCP and brought in Morris and Johnson, but the injury to Meeks really hurt our wing depth and Jennings hasn't gotten to a point where we could try a Jennings-Jackson lineup for much time.

The Bucks can throw a variety of looks because they have Giannis / Jabari / Middleton / Mayo / MCW. The Celtics have Crowder / Smart / Bradley / Evan Turner and even Jerebko when they go really big. Stan is only in year 2, he had to clear out a lot of junk from Joe and wings are in scarce supply across the league right now.

[The Penguin]

We are where I expected, a .500 team, but some perspective on that is important. The league is simply better than it has been the last few years. We are seeing some all time records for wins being chased by the Warriors, the Spurs have a better winning % than the best team (the Warriors) last year, the Thunder and Cavs have better winning % than the 2nd best team last year and the Clippers/Raptors are right in line with the 3rd best team from last year. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Nets are really bad but possess no incentive to tank, the Lakers possess a lot of incentive to tank but are still trying with the Kobe sendoff, the Sixers got a bit of personal pride and stopped their outright tank fest, and most of the rest of the league is still not really out of the playoff picture (other than the Suns and Wolves). A .500 team this year is more like a 5-6 seed in some of the years we've had recently.

[El Chivo]

when u start 5-1 you cant' be happy losing 26 games of the next 48...

I can live with 50% ball that is what we are worth, but we were supposed to grew, not to get worse.

[Montanabadboy]

This was tough for me to answer. Yes this is about where I expected us to be record wise, but not standing wise. I'm surprised at how good the East is, and I'm flabbergasted at how good Boston and Toronto are. I did not see that coming. I still hope/expect us to make the playoffs and hopefully play better down the stretch if we can get healthy. I don't know what to expect from KCP the rest of the season, but I was super bummed when he went down. Overall I'm satisfied, but I really expect some better play based on how we've looked at times. They really raised expections with their play throughout the season in some pretty big games so far

[Blomberg]

I predicted 41 wins, so I`m ok with us being 50%. Too bad the east is looking so strong. I still think we make the playoffs.

[Blomberg]

Those who voted "much less than I expected" , want to defend your opinions? Because that feels like trolling to me.

[joedumars1]

I voted a little less than expected. I picked them to win 47 games.