Pistons Look to Become More Competitive Through 2023 NBA Draft

 Even though the Detroit Pistons have received some valuable talent the last few drafts, unfortunately they  have continued to struggle both offensively and defensively.  With the 2023 Draft picks in Marcus Sasser and Ausar Thompson, the team hopes their fortunes will change.  Both players respectively will address issues on both sides of the ball.  If these players perform as expected, which remains to be seen, this team should improve immensely.

One of the most glaring aspects of the game that needs improvement is the Pistons’ offensive output.  In the past, this squad would live or die by the three point shot.  Furthermore, their inside game was non existent.  If they made 3 pointers on a given night, they would probably win, if they didn’t they would lose. With the addition of Marcus Sasser, they hope to make these shots more consistently.  In his college career with Houston, Sasser shot 38.4 percent from the long line, while averaging 6.9 attempts per game. The offense will hopefully be further improved with his propensity to dish out assists.  If these types of performances are translated to the NBA, the Pistons may find the ability to diversify offensively.

With a brief look at the numbers from last season, the Pistons gave up well over 100 points per game, and needless to say, struggled mightily on defense.  They hope to improve on this facet of the game with the signing of Ausar Thompson.  This Draft pick out of the Overtime Elite League averaged 2.4 steals per game, and had 4 steals several times.  Obviously, it remains to be seen whether Thompson can improve the team’s defensive prowess, but with output like this, it certainly looks promising.

Right now, the Pistons are waiting for previous draft picks to perform as expected, and it is hoped that Sasser and Thompson produce immediate results.  If this scenario comes to fruition, this team should become better imminently.  Assists should increase, as well as, Cade Cunningham with others could become exponentially better.  In theory, due to improved offensive strategies, higher percentage shots will present themselves.  If many of these things occur, more victories shouldn’t be far behind.

For years now, we have heard from ownership and other team leadership that we are building a championship culture in the Pistons organization.  We’ve made big moves that haven’t panned out, drafted elite players that did not meet expectations, and hired the best coaches to get this team perform, and nothing has proved to be the right formula so far.  Will these two change our destiny, only time will tell.

Recent Roster Health Coinciding With Tigers’ recent Winning

 It in no secret that the Detroit Tigers have had to deal with plenty of injuries this season, and it has hindered them from competing at their best.  Not only have they been without a majority of their starting rotation this season, but a significant part of their offense has been MIA as well.  Because of these scenarios, it’s proven difficult to stay competitive, even in the weak American League Central Division.  It appears that the Tigers may be on the verge of getting some major pieces back to help the likes of Spencer Torkelson and Matt Vierling build success in Detroit.

Needless to say, when a majority of the starting rotation is on the injured list for most of year, it is nearly impossible to stay competitive in any capacity.  Though all of the rotation consists of unproven talent, all have shown flashes of success.  The time has come when some of those guys are almost ready to return to the field.  If Matt Vierling and others are any indication of what is to come, the pitchers returning to this team will propel this team to many more wins.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Tigers also have had some vital pieces return.  In addition to Matt Vierling, Kerry Carpenter has also returned with a vengeance.  Not only has he produced some much needed defensive help. but has contributed with a desperately needed power spark that has been non existent this year.  There is little doubt that the return of these players, and the Tigers winning fortunes go hand in hand.

Players like Riley Greene and Matt Vierling have kept this team somewhat afloat during their season long struggles.  They have provided much needed offense by getting on base any way they can.  Whether that be hitting a base hit at a vital time, or hitting a homer at the right time.  Though Vierling has already made his way back to the field, it is hoped Greene is not far behind, which means continued success may follow.

Unfortunately, injuries are an unwanted aspect of sports that must be dealt with by every squad.  Sometimes they happen in bunches, as with the Tigers, and sometimes they are few and far between.  The key to having success as a team is how well those injuries are overcome through depth in the organization.     By all accounts, the Tigers have failed in this endeavor.  As a result, they need their starters to be healthy to have any amount of success.  Obviously, this is proving correct, because as their roster becomes healthier, success seems to follow.

Tigers’ Injuries Proving to Be Downfall

 After holding their own for a majority of the season, it seems a rash of injuries to pivotal players have finally caught up to the Tigers.  Yes, their pitching has performed at decent levels, but it has not been enough to continue to compete in the division.  Unfortunately, since the injuries, the offense has become anemic.  Obviously, when this occurs, sustained success is impossible to come by.

With a plethora of injuries to key players, the team has been unable to find the stride they once had earlier in the season.  Along with serviceable pitching across the board, the offense performed at a level that allowed the squad to stay competitive in the less than stellar American League Central Division. Hitters were hitting homers and driving in runs.  Then, injuries occurred in big numbers to needed contributors.  Riley Greene, Matt Vierling, Eduardo Rodriguez, and others all hit the injured list roughly at the same time.  Given this occurrence, it’s no surprise a 9 game losing streak then followed.  With so many important pieces out, winning games has proven to be a difficult task.

Any time most of a team’s starting rotation is out for a significant period of time, that is not a recipe for success.  Among those missing are: Matt Manning, Eduardo Rodriguez, Casey Mize, and Spencer Turnbull.  Never have all of them been healthy enough for any length of time to gauge what types of positive impacts they can have. Each of these pitchers have had flashes of success, but have been unable to stay on the field to help this team win.  If this group of pitchers are able to ever perform in unison, their collective performances could make this team unstoppable.

In MLB, every team deals with multiple injuries, it is then, that good teams have talent on the roster to replace the missing production from the starters.  The Tigers have shown this ability on and off this season, but have been unable to do it consistently enough to put more wins on the board.  Though it is unlikely, it remains to be seen whether the current group of Tigers can put it all together and get over the .500 mark.  If they get there, and remain in that vicinity for the rest of the year, this season could be deemed successful.

  For the last couple years, injuries have been the main hindrance to the Tigers developing a winning culture.  This year seems to be panning out similarly.  Both pitchers and hitters have been decimated by the injury bug.  It is unclear if and when this will change.  If the team is unable to avoid this amount of injuries each year, success may be further away than we think.

Former NBA Coach Floats Sweeping Rule Changes to the Way the Game is Played

  In every professional sport, rule tweaks and changes are a frequent occurrence.  Many changes are proposed, but few are implemented.  Some changes that are made have a profound effect on the way the game is played, some do not.  Perhaps, the adjustments proposed by former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy would be the most jarring in NBA history.  Among the wanted changes by Van Gundy include: eliminating  or shortening halftime, and doing away with free throws until the last 4 minutes of each game. Needless to say, changing regulations in such a manner would have historic implications on the way the game is played.

Though it probably will never be put into practice, one of the most consequential rules Van Gundy proposed was eliminating free throws for a majority of each NBA game.  Unfortunately, this would eliminate one of the most utilized strategies in the game.  If a team has a particularly weak free throw shooter, the opposing team will foul that player in an effort to prevent them from scoring points.  This is especially true if the team is behind in the final minutes of a game.  Poor free throw shooting frequently affects outcomes of games.  Therefore, dumping this facet of the game eliminates the opportunity to win or lose a game at the stripe.  Implementing such a rule would tear away at one of the major tenets of the game while, at the same time, denigrating one of the most exciting parts of it as well.

If the NBA wants to be as successful as possible, it is vital that its players be as effective as they can be.  This means getting plenty of rest before, during, and after games.  Under the former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets Head Coach’s proposal, this opportunity would be severely limited, as he would like to eliminate or shorten halftime.  If this were allowed to occur, quality of play would be enormously hindered, and crispness of play would be affected.  Furthermore, the overall performance on the court would be greatly diminished.

It is the now broadcaster’s contention the NBA games should be played in a 2 hour window, and he feels his suggested changes would accomplish that goal.  However, as in any sports league, the NBA is a business and wants to make money.  Making any of Van Gundy’s adjustments, means less of an opportunity to maximize profits.  In addition, shortening games, gives another nod to a society that is growing more impatient and restless by the minute.  We do not need to ruin the fabric of another sport to satisfy the needs and wants of the younger generation.

By comparison, basketball is one of the shortest of the four major sports.  The average basketball game length is 2 hours and 25 minutes, any shorter, and it’s not worth attending.  Not only would Van Gundy’s NBA affect length of games, but quality and integrity would be irreparably harmed.  Without a doubt, other aspects of the game could be tweaked to maintain continuity and flow of the game.