The Surprising Detroit Pistons Could Shake Up the East

Every year there’s an NBA squad that comes out of nowhere to surprise everyone. Maybe this year it’s Detroit’s turn.
The Surprising Detroit Pistons Could Shake Up the East
Reggie Jackson (L) and Andre Drummond are each averaging better than 20 points per game for the 5–1 Detroit Pistons. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Dave Martin
Updated:

Every year there’s an NBA team that flies under the radar in the offseason and makes all of us pundits look silly by becoming an instant contender. Last season it was the Atlanta Hawks who came out of nowhere to win 60 games just a year after a 38–44 season.

This year it looks like Detroit—which won just 32 games last year—could be the team to surprise the league.

Don’t look now but, after coming back from 13 down entering the fourth quarter Sunday night at Portland to win by 17 points, the Stan Van Gundy-coached Pistons are now 5–1 with four of those wins coming against teams with winning records.

Now any team can have a decent six-game stretch where they win five games. But the Pistons have a pair of breakout stars with center Andre Drummond and guard Reggie Jackson that makes it seem that they’re for real.

In the fourth quarter alone of the Portland victory, Jackson scored an unheard-of 26 points and finished with 40 on the night.

The fifth-year player, who was acquired from Oklahoma City in a three-team deal last February for D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singler, and a pair of second-round picks, has been a big addition for the Pistons. After seeing him average 17.6 points and 9.2 assists per contest as a starter the final 27 games of last season, Detroit signed him to a mammoth 5-year, $80 million contract this summer that surprised many around the league.

Dave Martin
Dave Martin
Author
Dave Martin is a New-York based writer as well as editor. He is the sports editor for the Epoch Times and is a consultant to private writers.
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