Detroit Pistons: 5 bold predictions for 2017-18 NBA season
By Simon Smith
4. Pistons escape bottom-10 offensive rating
While defense has been his forte, that’s not to say Van Gundy-led teams aren’t capable of filling it up offensively. In his days in charge in Orlando, Van Gundy’s Magic teams ranked in the Top 10 in offensive rating in four consecutive seasons, ranking second in the league in 2009-10 with a rating of 109.5.
His time in Detroit, however, has seen the Pistons predominately be a middling team, with last season seeing them ranked 25th overall at 103.3. To give you an idea of how much the league has evolved in recent seasons, the Pistons produced a 103.3 rating in 2015-16, which ranked 15th overall.
While the loss of Marcus Morris via trade is not insignificant, it’s not earth shattering. This summer saw Van Gundy target players who fit the mold of the teams he fielded in Orlando — a dominant big man (Andre Drummond) in the middle surrounded by shooters.
In acquiring Avery Bradley, Langston Galloway and Anthony Tolliver, Van Gundy has brought in three players who each shot at a minimum 39.0 percent clip from long range. Considering the Pistons ranked 28th overall in 3-point shooting in converting at a 33.0 percent clip, this was clearly an area that required attention.
Overall, the Pistons had 15 games last season in which they scored fewer than 90 points. Over these games, the shot at a 21.3 percent clip from 3-point range and produced an 0-15 record.
So again, while defense is certainly the foundation for Van Gundy teams, an efficient offense is also a necessity. And while this was certainly not the case last season, the Pistons’ offseason moves will surely move the team away from the bottom third in offensive rating.