The injury bug forces the Detroit Pistons to come up with new ways to stay above .500 while Reggie Jackson and Avery Bradley recuperate from injuries.
The Detroit Pistons battled through their toughest test this season. They found a way to regroup and get back on track after losing seven consecutive games.
Despite missing Avery Bradley, who is recuperating from a groin injury, the Pistons have won four of their last five games.
Adversity taunted Detroit and the team came out on top — at least, until late in the third quarter of the Pistons’ 107-83 win over the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 26.
That was when starting point guard Reggie Jackson collapsed to the floor writhing and screaming in pain, reaching for his ankle.
Ankles aren't supposed to bend that way. Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson came down funky on his foot and screamed. He couldn't walk on it. pic.twitter.com/dlHNMtExel
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) December 27, 2017
Though fans hoped for the best, it was clear Jackson might miss more a significant amount of time.
Wednesday afternoon, doctors diagnosed Jackson with a Grade 3 ankle sprain. The diagnosis leaves Stan Van Gundy with a major hole to fill in his lineup for the next 6-8 weeks. It’s possible the Detroit Pistons will be without their starting guard until after the NBA All-Star game.
Jackson was averaging 14.6 points and 5.5 assists per game on 44.6 percent shooting. Per Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, Van Gundy and the Pistons will have to rely on Ish Smith to keep them in playoff contention while Jackson is healing.
Jackson is the Pistons’ third-leading scorer behind Avery Bradley and Tobias Harris. Under regular circumstances, his injury could land a death-blow to the Pistons’ playoff hopes.
"That’s a big loss for us. But now we’ve just got to go next man up and move on.”
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 27, 2017
With Reggie Jackson out, @Keith_Langlois has more on what it means for the team in today's Trending: https://t.co/8DwsVqyUlW
Last season, Jackson missed 21 games due to injury. Ish Smith led the Pistons to a record of 11-10 during Jackson’s absence. Smith’s experience and the additions of Luke Kennard and Bradley should keep the team in contention.
The key to surviving 6-8 weeks without Jackson is a mastering the “next man up” mentality the Pistons had working so well for them at the beginning of the season.
Earlier this season, Detroit was able to lean on the player with the hot hand each game. Being able to play team ball while relying on each other helped propel the Pistons to a fast start that kept them at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Tobias Harris is also having the best season of his career. He scored 30 points in a win against the Indiana Pacers and has never been more efficient from 3-point range at 44.9 percent.
Tobias Harris is in the 100th percentile among pick and roll ball handlers. The Pistons need a steady dose of this with Reggie Jackson out. pic.twitter.com/LeypOn7HeB
— Duncan Smith (@DuncanSmithNBA) December 28, 2017
It’s never easy when a starter goes down. The team is better equipped to handle Jackson’s absence than they were last year.
Last season when he succumbed to injury, the Pistons didn’t have the shooting skills of Luke Kennard or the red-hot Harris to help smooth the rough stretches while Jackson was out of the lineup.
Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft: End of 2017 edition
Barring any more injuries, adding a healthy Bradley back into the mix should give the 19-14 Detroit Pistons the ammunition they need to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference while Jackson’s ankle heals.