Pistons took a gamble
“The hardest thing to do in this league is get a proven star,” Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy told scribes in the aftermath of a stunning deal that netted him Blake Griffin. “We know the injury history. That’s the risk on it, but that risk was worth it because of the talent we’re bringing back.” And for all the criticism he got in pulling the trigger on a trade that isn’t without downsides, he’s right; nothing in the National Basketball Association is free, and when you’re in a swoon that threatens to kill your campaign before you even reach the All- Star break, you take the gamble.
To Van Gundy’s good fortune (and, no doubt, relief ), his bet has so far reaped dividends. In the week since he welcomed Griffin into the fold, the Pistons have reeled off three consecutive victories. So energizing was the latter, in fact, that the very news of the swap triggered an inspired outing from the red, white, and blue; they ended their January with a convincing shellacking of the imploding-of-late-but alwaysdangerous Cavaliers.
It would, of course, be foolhardy to think the Pistons would run the table from here on. Even with Griffin headlining their cause, they’re nowhere near close to taking the measure of the league’s perennial contenders. That said, they now possess a better- than- even chance of not just making the postseason, but actually beginning it with homecourt advantage. Following yesterday’s emphatic triumph over the weary Blazers, they found themselves at .500 and tied for the eighth seed in the East.
Whether the Pistons will completely reap the benefits of Griffin’s presence remains to be seen. For one thing, his durability remains a question mark. For another, there is still much to improve on for his partnership with resident marquee name Andre Drummond to take off a la Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins with the Pelicans. Nonetheless, it’s clear that he has made a deep impact, even off the court. Little Caesars Arena is moving turnstiles, slowly but steadily, and fans now appreciate the trees as much as they do the forest. It’s a work in progress, but one with tremendous upside.
Whether the Pistons will completely reap the benefits of Griffin’s presence remains to be seen. For one thing, his durability remains a question mark. For another, there is still much to improve on for his partnership with resident marquee name Andre Drummond to take off a la Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins with the Pelicans. Nonetheless, it’s clear that he has made a deep impact, even off the court. Little Caesars Arena is moving turnstiles, slowly but steadily, and fans now appreciate the trees as much as they do the forest. It’s a work in progress, but one with tremendous upside.