#63 - Pistons@Clippers - 10:30pm ET

[MortSahlfan]

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[bstein14]

Thing with LAC is you never know who is actually playing for them. Full strength they are clearly a top 5 or 6 team in the league but they are rarely ever at full strength so they're more in the mid tier range with us.

[zeebneeb]

Thing with LAC is you never know who is actually playing for them. Full strength they are clearly a top 5 or 6 team in the league but they are rarely ever at full strength so they're more in the mid tier range with us.

Are the Pistons a mid-tier team? Depends on if you look at the stats and record for the year, since the first of the year, or since February.

Their trajectory is frighteningly steep right now, while the Clippers are on a downward trend.

Levels to this. Hmm. Might be time for a new thread.

[MortSahlfan]

I was looking back at predictions and I had the Pistons winning 35 games all year, and we still got a ways to go.

9-1 in the L10... Clippers lost a heart-breaker to the Suns (but all I see online is Bradley Beal ****).. This would be a great win, but I don't think it'll be easy. Especially with Zubac protecting the rim, I hope Pistons don't jack up 3's, which is not the way this team wins.. Defend, and punish them inside. Duren can't get into foul trouble tonight, but hopefully we give him the ball (like we did with Ben) to start the game, a few touches, let Zubac get in foul trouble!

[zeebneeb]

In a shocking announcement, Leonard, or Powell won't play in tonight's game. Jones/Simmons are gametime decisions.

[NYPiston]

Are the Pistons a mid-tier team? Depends on if you look at the stats and record for the year, since the first of the year, or since February.

Their trajectory is frighteningly steep right now, while the Clippers are on a downward trend.

Levels to this. Hmm. Might be time for a new thread.

Yeah, calling the Pistons "mid tier" is selling them short. They're 35-23 since the 0-4 start and they're not just getting by teams, they're blowing a lot of them out including Boston. It's safe to say that this is a GOOD team.
Still though, I can understand why some, including myself, are hesitant to pull the trigger on calling them a playoff contender (a team that can win a series) because the competition has been pretty weak for the most part during this hot stretch but they have the look of a good team.

[zeebneeb]

Are the Pistons a mid-tier team? Depends on if you look at the stats and record for the year, since the first of the year, or since February.

Their trajectory is frighteningly steep right now, while the Clippers are on a downward trend.

Levels to this. Hmm. Might be time for a new thread.

Yeah, calling the Pistons "mid tier" is selling them short. They're 35-23 since the 0-4 start and they're not just getting by teams, they're blowing a lot of them out including Boston. It's safe to say that this is a GOOD team.
Still though, I can understand why some, including myself, are hesitant to pull the trigger on calling them a playoff contender (a team that can win a series) because the competition has been pretty weak for the most part during this hot stretch but they have the look of a good team.

The core guys Cade/Ausar/Duren/Stew(and Ivey) have zero playoff experience. We honestly don't know how they will perform on the big stage. Am I confident Cades smooth as Jazz game will translate? Yup, but you just don't know, until you see it.

Harris/THJ/Beasley are gonna have to be HUGE for the guys both on the court, and in the locker room, to prepare these guys.

One thing is for absolute certain though;

I want the Knicks. There are mismatches all over the floor that favor the Pistons, and Cade has straight crucified the Knicks at MSG. NOT saying they win that series, but I want e ery advantage this super young team can get.

I do not, under any circumstances, want the Pacers. Issues all over the damn place, and Stewart has an unnatural hatred for that team, and may lose his damn mind playing them.

1 playoff win, in a super close series, and I'm happy. 2, and man, im excited. Its hard to imagine a series win, after 17 years of wondering the shadow realm, but man, do that, and this year is gonna be one for the record books, and memories of Piston fans, forever. Its already insane whats happening. You add a series win.

Hoo boy. Everyone is gonna be wearing homer hats.

[tmorgan]

This should be a win. Need to run Harden and Zubac up and down, wear them out.

I assume Stew’s good to go this game?

[zeebneeb]

Stew is probable, Harris out again.

[blog_pistons]

This should be a win. Need to run Harden and Zubac up and down, wear them out.

I assume Stew’s good to go this game?

Pistons list Tobias Harris as out for matchup against the Clippers due to personal reasons. Isaiah Stewart has been upgraded to probable after missing last game with a lower back contusion.

[Uncle Mxy]

Beasley just got served divorce papers in LA. He needs to make it rain with threes and light this place on fire!

[blog_pistons]

Clippers list Derrick Jones Jr. (Right Groin Strain), Kawhi Leonard (Right Knee Injury Management), Norman Powell (Right Hamstring Strain) and Ben Simmons (Left Knee Injury Management) as out.

[bstein14]

I don't care if we win 9 of our next 10, I'm not putting up in the "top tier" until we win a playoff game.

Boston, Cleveland, and New York are really the only top tier teams in the East.... Bucks and Pacers and us are a tier down IMO.... Bucks could go up a tier if they go on a run to finish out the season... and even Indy has played better of late than they did to start the season. But overall both the Bucks and Indy have also been in the conference finals recently so they have more proven players than us.... even though we've been playing great... I still don't think we're the cream of the crop quite yet.

[Canadafan]

Beasley just got served divorce papers in LA. He needs to make it rain with threes and light this place on fire!

Bad timing for her. Why wouldn't she wait till he signs his big contract this summer lol

[Canadafan]

I don't care if we win 9 of our next 10, I'm not putting up in the "top tier" until we win a playoff game.

Boston, Cleveland, and New York are really the only top tier teams in the East.... Bucks and Pacers and us are a tier down IMO.... Bucks could go up a tier if they go on a run to finish out the season... and even Indy has played better of late than they did to start the season. But overall both the Bucks and Indy have also been in the conference finals recently so they have more proven players than us.... even though we've been playing great... I still don't think we're the cream of the crop quite yet.

Indy and Bucks own us. Not even close that we're at their level

[Cowology]

Every game feels winnable. Outside of maybe 3-4 teams it even feels like we *should* win. I don't know how sustainable that is and we will definitely be tested...but my level of confidence going into a game like this is sky high. I think we show out again.

[ComboGuardCity]

I don't care if we win 9 of our next 10, I'm not putting up in the "top tier" until we win a playoff game.

Boston, Cleveland, and New York are really the only top tier teams in the East.... Bucks and Pacers and us are a tier down IMO.... Bucks could go up a tier if they go on a run to finish out the season... and even Indy has played better of late than they did to start the season. But overall both the Bucks and Indy have also been in the conference finals recently so they have more proven players than us.... even though we've been playing great... I still don't think we're the cream of the crop quite yet.

Indy and Bucks own us. Not even close that we're at their level

Indy isn’t a top tier team. They just have matched up well against us. To me the top tier of the East is Boston, Cleveland and the Bucks

[theBigLip]

We are not top tier, unless you just have 2 tiers

Tiers for me:
Elite - can win it all
Very good - likely win a playoff series
Good - make the playoffs
Bad/tank - everyone else

[tmorgan]

Young teams get better. We got better. We need to get a lot better yet.

[Cowology]

I don't care if we win 9 of our next 10, I'm not putting up in the "top tier" until we win a playoff game.

Boston, Cleveland, and New York are really the only top tier teams in the East.... Bucks and Pacers and us are a tier down IMO.... Bucks could go up a tier if they go on a run to finish out the season... and even Indy has played better of late than they did to start the season. But overall both the Bucks and Indy have also been in the conference finals recently so they have more proven players than us.... even though we've been playing great... I still don't think we're the cream of the crop quite yet.

Indy and Bucks own us. Not even close that we're at their level

Indy isn’t a top tier team. They just have matched up well against us. To me the top tier of the East is Boston, Cleveland and the Bucks

Yeah, I think CLE & BOS are clearly the top 2 with MIL a darkhorse. They've been to the summit and after a dreadful start have turned it around & made some deadline moves to help.

I'd have the Knicks sitting atop a 2nd tier that right now would include us and Indy to round out the top 6.

It's true we've matched up poorly with Indy/Mil... but what was our history against BOS before we beat them? What about vs. Utah?

This feels like a very different team from the one we started the season with. I'm not sure it actually matters one lick how badly Indy smacked us around, even earlier this year. Earlier isn't now. And I dunno what JB is actually made of, but in a 7 game series I like the team better able to make defensive adjustments. Time to start a new page and start making some new trends.