Game 21: Pistons (10-10) @ Hawks (10-9) - 8:00 PM EST

[coordinator0]

PG: Reggie (24) // Ish (24)
SG: KCP (32) // Reggie (8) // Hilliard (8)
SF: Tobias (32) // Mook (8) // Stanley (8)
PF: Mook (24) // Leuer (24)
C: Dre (32) // Baynes (16)

I think we were all hoping Stanley would be pushing 24+ mpg this year, but with Leuer plaing as well as he has that's made it incredibly difficult. He's gonna have to battle it out with Hilliard for those 12-16 mpg at SG (which is not his natural position) and right now he's losing that battle. Adding more depth to our backcourt is just going to make things even harder.

At this point I really don't know what the answer is for him. He'd have to make a significant leap in order to push his way into our forward rotation, which could be even more difficult if we start using KCP there in small ball lineups. I don't want to throw the towel in on him, but even looking forward a year or two I'm just not sure where he fits on this particular roster.

This is what I've been saying the last couple of weeks. It's not that I don't like Johnson either. Detroit is just loaded at forward and the guys getting minutes there are too good (at the moment) to not play.

[Pharaoh]

PG: Reggie (24) // Ish (24)
SG: KCP (32) // Reggie (8) // Hilliard (8)
SF: Tobias (32) // Mook (8) // Stanley (8)
PF: Mook (24) // Leuer (24)
C: Dre (32) // Baynes (16)

I think we were all hoping Stanley would be pushing 24+ mpg this year, but with Leuer plaing as well as he has that's made it incredibly difficult. He's gonna have to battle it out with Hilliard for those 12-16 mpg at SG (which is not his natural position) and right now he's losing that battle. Adding more depth to our backcourt is just going to make things even harder.

At this point I really don't know what the answer is for him. He'd have to make a significant leap in order to push his way into our forward rotation, which could be even more difficult if we start using KCP there in small ball lineups. I don't want to throw the towel in on him, but even looking forward a year or two I'm just not sure where he fits on this particular roster.

This is what I've been saying the last couple of weeks. It's not that I don't like Johnson either. Detroit is just loaded at forward and the guys getting minutes there are too good (at the moment) to not play.

Reggie 28 / Ish 20

KCP 30 / Hilly 18

Mook 28 / SJ 20

Tobias 28 / King 10 / Jon 10

Dre 30 / Jon 10 / Bobo 8

Could see that as early as next season if all goes well

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[Liqourish]

Just heard we have played the most games out of anyone in the East and toughest schedule. For whatever that's worth.

Most teams are less than 20 games in so far. In fact, only the L.A. teams have played as many games as us. And that majority of our games have been on the road. We have a tough western conference road trip the middle of January but the bulk of our extended road trips are over.

[MotownMadness]

Hilliard was a very good draft pick.

Chad Ford ragged us for that pick too saying we drafted a player in the second that didn't even make his board to get drafted at all, can't stand that guy.

[brackdan70]

Pistons are looking strong last few games!!! Impressive.

[coordinator0]

Reggie 28 / Ish 20

KCP 30 / Hilly 18

Mook 28 / SJ 20

Tobias 28 / King 10 / Jon 10

Dre 30 / Jon 10 / Bobo 8

Could see that as early as next season if all goes well

Sent from my SM-J110F using RealGM mobile app

I don't think all of the starter's minutes being that low is very likely. Nobody in the NBA does it that way nor has Van Gundy done anything that would allude to him going that route. Next season I would expect something like this:

Jackson 28 / Smith 20
Caldwell-Pope 32 / Hilliard 12 / Jackson 4
Harris 32 / Johnson 12 / Morris 4
Morris 28 / Leuer 16 / Ellenson 4
Drummond 32 / Leuer 10 / Marjanovic 6

Boban's minutes at center fluctuate wildly based on matchup, but overall probably aren't that high due to most teams going smaller and smaller. Stanley and Henry are basically in direct competition for time. If Johnson does well that forces Harris (or Morris) getting more minutes at the four, and if Ellenson does well that forces Morris (or Harris) getting more minutes at the three. Of course if Stanley improves his offensive repertoire at the two he could easily usurp Hilliard's minutes but given the results thus far it's hard to project that. And defensively he's still far better off at the three.

[Cowology]

SA is pretty much the only team that follows that mold. Pop has always done a great job of limiting minutes and utilizing his bench, but that is something of a unique situation. There is a reason other teams have struggled to emulate his success.

[coordinator0]

And for the Spurs it's been more of a necessity to keep their older veterans fresh than anything else the past few years. Leonard and Aldridge are still playing a lot of minutes this season. Detroit's roster is in a vastly different place in terms of age and physical ability.