Detroit Pistons: 3 keys to making the 2019 NBA Playoffs

2. Keep Reggie Jackson in his current form

Before the team was taken down by the Boston Celtics Wednesday night, they had won four straight and five of their last six. Jackson has been a major key to their success during that stretch.

Over the last seven games, he’s averaging 19.0 points per game on 48.9 percent shooting from the floor and 52.5 percent shooting from 3-point range. The major fit issue with Jackson alongside Griffin was his inability to shoot, but he has fixed a lot of those problems in this recent stretch.

Jackson is an above-average point guard, but he hasn’t played like one for a while. It’s no coincidence that, as soon as he does, the team starts playing its best. Jackson has stayed completely healthy this year, and his 55 games played are already more than he played in either of the previous two seasons. Jackson’s hot shooting is miles better than he has been at any point in his career.

While this incredibly hot shooting is unsustainable, even staying even in the high 30 percent range on 3-pointers would be a huge boost for this offense. The best way to maximize Griffin is to surround him with shooters. Drummond won’t be one of them, but the bench pieces and Jackson can help carry that load.