The Pistons are getting plenty of credit for playing the Celtics tough on the road Thursday.
They were gritty. They were competitive. They didn’t back down.
Aside from not winning, it was wonderful. Aside from tying the NBA record with 28 straight losses, it was terrific. Aside from blowing a 21-point lead, it was fabulous.
Losing streak? That’s so negative.
The Pistons moral victory streak stands at one.
The pertinent question: Where has that effort been?
If the Pistons played that hard every night, they would not be on the verge of losing the most consecutive games in the history of the four North American major sports.
Rebuilds are necessary. Fans understand.
The problem comes when “rebuild” is treated as a synonym for “excuse.”
It was disappointing Pistons’ owner Tom Gores played that card in an ill-fated attempt to explain the utter ineptitude that has infiltrated his basketball operations.
What could more tone deaf than beginning a sentence with, “Winning aside…” when his team in the midst of an historic losing streak?
Or to present the upside as being roster and salary cap flexibility.
Evidently, fans are supposed to be thrilled about the acquisition of expiring contracts of past-their-prime veterans. Nobody should accept the long-game game excuse. The Pistons have not won a playoff game since 2008. Gores has owned the team since 2011. They’ve made the playoffs just once, and only because of an ill-advised trade for Blake Griffin. The Pistons were swept in four by the Bucks.
The inconvenient truth is the Pistons have a very good, young NBA player, Cade Cunningham. His contract expires after next season. And a solid veteran who would be much-better utilized on a contending team, Bojan Bogdanović. Jalen Duren is all about potential. That’s not a core. That’s a plant barely breaking soil.
Obviously, general manager Troy Weaver didn’t take over a good situation. He had to pick up the pieces from the decidedly failed Stan Van Gundy regime.
The problem comes when “rebuild” is treated as a synonym for “excuse.”
It was disappointing Pistons’ owner Tom Gores played that card in an ill-fated attempt to explain the utter ineptitude that has infiltrated his basketball operations.
What could more tone deaf than beginning a sentence with, “Winning aside…” when his team in the midst of an historic losing streak? Or to present the upside as being roster and salary cap flexibility. Evidently, fans are supposed to be thrilled about the acquisition of expiring contracts of past-their-prime veterans. Nobody should accept the long-game game excuse. The Pistons have not won a playoff game since 2008. Gores has owned the team since 2011. They’ve made the playoffs just once, and only because of an ill-advised trade for Blake Griffin. The Pistons were swept in four by the Bucks.
The inconvenient truth is the Pistons have a very good, young NBA player, Cade Cunningham. His contract expires after next season. And a solid veteran who would be much-better utilized on a contending team, Bojan Bogdanović. Jalen Duren is all about potential. That’s not a core. That’s a plant barely breaking soil.
Obviously, general manager Troy Weaver didn’t take over a good situation. He had to pick up the pieces from the decidedly failed Stan Van Gundy regime.
But the Pistons weren’t the worst team in NBA history at the time, either. Now it appears as if they may be. The finger of blame points directly at Weaver.
While on draft night, his moves appear sound, once the Pistons take the floor, it has proven misleading. It’s because the Pistons simply haven’t made good trades under his watch, and his free agent signings have been underwhelming.
Nothing fits together. It hasn’t been coaching. Monty Williams and Dwane Casey won and developed younger players elsewhere.
In the meantime, since Weaver had taken over, floundering teams such as Oklahoma City, Houston and Orlando have turned it around.
So on to Saturday and the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena. The Raptors are 12-18 overall, 4-9 on the road. They play at Boston Friday, so it’s back-to-back.
Aside from their record, it’s a game the Pistons should garner a win.
Hopefully it won’t be another moral one.