Detroit Pistons: Their secret weapon is hidden in plain sight

The Detroit Pistons may have their secret weapon hidden in plain sight. The Twin Towers may make a comeback in the Motor City. Different could be better.

The Detroit Pistons are an interesting team for this season. While they aren’t expected to compete for a title this season, their size can cause teams issues.

When looking at the New Orleans Pelicans from last season, their powerful combo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins wreaked havoc on teams who used small-ball lineups frequently. When playing the Golden State Warriors, they often forced the Warriors to play big when they wanted to go small.

While Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond may not be on that level, their supporting cast is greater. The Pelicans struggled all season long to come up with a consistent small forward. The Pistons can start either Stanley Johnson or Reggie Bullock at the position and get an upgrade. While Jrue Holiday is an upgrade over Reggie Jackson, it’s the rest of the depth that matters the most. They have multiple long bodies to throw at opposing offenses that the Pelicans didn’t.

“Twin Towers” lineups have gone mostly out of style in the modern NBA. Teams are going smaller and smaller, while plodding bigs continue to fall by the wayside. However, when done effectively, they can make teams play out of their comfort zone.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to take the Warriors to six games by grinding the pace to a halt in the 2015 NBA Finals. Luckily for the Pistons, their bigs are far better than the duo of Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson.

Griffin, due to his injuries and age, has become one of the more underrated power forwards in the modern NBA. As he’s gotten older, he’s gradually added more finesse to his game. He’s consistently improved his passing, and he could lead the team in assists this season. Lineups without Jackson, with Griffin as the primary ball-handler, might be more effective than some think.

At center, Drummond has the ability to be an elite rim-protector thanks to his athleticism. However, despite that athleticism, he has yet to make the jump into elite territory yet in his career. Head coach Dwane Casey gradually turned the Toronto Raptors into an elite defensive unit. Jonas Valanciunas, who was far less athletic than Drummond, improved defensively under the tutelage of Casey. A lineup of Griffin and Drummond is a perfect complement of each other.

Casey will have plenty of leeway to get creative with his lineups. Taking a page or two from other big-lineup teams will lead to more success for this team. Pick-and-rolls with the 4 and 5 are not something most teams can do successfully. Griffin still has the athleticism to make it work with Drummond setting screens for him. Drummond has powerful gravity when rolling to the rim that would free up space for shooters along the 3-point line.

With the addition of Glenn Robinson III and the return of Jon Leuer, there are more possible lineup combinations that can be used. Drummond, Griffin and Johnson, or Robinson, Bullock and Luke Kennard, would have the right mix of offense and defense. They could stretch teams out, while bullying them in the post. Although Griffin doesn’t have the handle that Davis does, he could play that similar role.

The NBA is moving toward small lineups while bigs fall further and further by the wayside. While the Pistons have started moving more toward a floor-stretching team, they have the personnel to be flexible. A Twin Towers lineup with Griffin and Drummond has the Pistons poised to make some noise in the Eastern Conference with Casey pulling the strings. They can be great in an era where they shouldn’t. Pistons fans are looking for something to cheer for, and this could be it.