Pistons 2017-2018 Prediction Thread!

[theBigLip]

45 wins for sure and the playoffs.

Obviously Jackson and Drummond need to play better this year. If we don't get to 45, then time to blow it all up.

The Blow Up point is approaching.......

I don't think we are too far off pace to get the playoffs. 45 wins is looking tougher. Regardless, I'm very excited to see what happens at the trade deadline.

[thesack12]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22143421/nba-power-rankings-our-expert-panel-unveils-rankings-week-15

The Pistons sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings having lost four in a row. The good news is they have the fourth-easiest remaining schedule in the NBA, according to BPI. Detroit doesn't play consecutive games on the road until the end of February and doesn't veer from the Eastern time zone until March 13 against the Jazz. -- Vincent Johnson

Even with being on a 5 game losing streak and only 3-9 since Reggie went down, Detroit is still only 4.5 games back of the 4th seed.

If the team can find some semblance of decent PG play, the playoffs are still a very real possibility. But as Kilo mentioned several times, the team should have been looking for PG upgrades as soon as Reggie went down.

[Canadafan]

Hang in there boys

[Manocad]

I think they are what they are at this point. They've basically proved that they're a .500 team that can beat anyone or lose to anyone. I'll give them a handful of losses contributed to injuries but IMO that's just the difference between being just above .500 or just below it.

Maybe there's lightning in a bottle out there at the trade deadline but I'm not seeing it. This team's identity to me looks like this:
- Everyone for the most part plays well, they win
- Everyone for the most part plays like crap, they lose
- Some players play well, some players play like crap, they sometimes win
- Some players play well, some players play like crap, they sometimes lose

Once again we're seeing the epitome of a treadmill team right before our eyes. Even I, Mr. "Give them time to grow together," have given up at this point. I'm ready to tear it down.

[El Chivo]

time to start Kennard and Johnson, plus giving meaningful PT to Ellenson.

[GreekAlex]

I think they are what they are at this point. They've basically proved that they're a .500 team that can beat anyone or lose to anyone. I'll give them a handful of losses contributed to injuries but IMO that's just the difference between being just above .500 or just below it.

Maybe there's lightning in a bottle out there at the trade deadline but I'm not seeing it. This team's identity to me looks like this:
- Everyone for the most part plays well, they win
- Everyone for the most part plays like crap, they lose
- Some players play well, some players play like crap, they sometimes win
- Some players play well, some players play like crap, they sometimes lose

Once again we're seeing the epitome of a treadmill team right before our eyes. Even I, Mr. "Give them time to grow together," have given up at this point. I'm ready to tear it down.

If you give them a handful of losses because of injuries, do they also get a handful of wins from other teams injuries?

I think a lot also has to be put into the way the team is trending. They started sinking before Reggie went down.

I'll give SVG credit for having his healthy team well prepared to start the season but it seems like every other team has caught up and then some. I think SVGs biggest weakness is adjustment both in season and in game. It took him multiple seasons, assistant coaches plus his brother to realize it might be good to modernize his offense

[Billl]

The teams obviously not going anywhere right now. We might still make the playoffs, but that's about it.

On the plus side - the "blow it all up" strategy seems much more promising now that Dre has found a high post game and made strides at the line. We only have 69 mil on the books for 2019 and most of that is on deals that expire that year. If SVG can resist signing any more long term deals for bench players, we should have a bunch of flexibility.

[Manocad]

I think they are what they are at this point. They've basically proved that they're a .500 team that can beat anyone or lose to anyone. I'll give them a handful of losses contributed to injuries but IMO that's just the difference between being just above .500 or just below it.

Maybe there's lightning in a bottle out there at the trade deadline but I'm not seeing it. This team's identity to me looks like this:
- Everyone for the most part plays well, they win
- Everyone for the most part plays like crap, they lose
- Some players play well, some players play like crap, they sometimes win
- Some players play well, some players play like crap, they sometimes lose

Once again we're seeing the epitome of a treadmill team right before our eyes. Even I, Mr. "Give them time to grow together," have given up at this point. I'm ready to tear it down.

If you give them a handful of losses because of injuries, do they also get a handful of wins from other teams injuries?

I think a lot also has to be put into the way the team is trending. They started sinking before Reggie went down.

That was my point, that any argument of "Well, if they didn't have injuries..." holds no water in my opinion. Either way, if you argue that injuries only cost them a handful of games while at the same time argue that other teams' injuries allowed them to win a handful of games they wouldn't have otherwise, you're arguing the same thing--the team isn't very good. You don't have to include both arguments to make a case for why they're not very good.