Detroit Pistons 2006–07 Forward
Through eighty-two games last season, the Detroit Pistons were the best team in the NBA. Now, just a few months later, they find themselves coming off a disappointing playoff loss to the Miami Heat and without their defensive anchor, Ben Wallace.
The Pistons’ greatest strength is their starting guards. Chauncey Billips ranked fourth in the league in assists last season with 8.6 per game, while at the same time leading all players in assists-to-turnover ratio with 4.09 per game. Guard Richard Hamilton remains a constant threat with twenty points in every game. Hamilton excels at catching and shooting the ball, making him the perfect complement to Billups.
Starting positions three and four also bring familiarity, with Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace returning for the 2006/07 season. Tayshaun averaged just over fourteen points per game last season, and he’s expected to do even more in his fifth season. On the other hand, Rasheed Wallace has to do everything he can to make our setback bigger than he did at the end of last season. After playing well during the regular season, Rasheed’s lackluster play in the postseason was a big factor in their six-game series loss to the Heat.
Replacing the team’s biggest hole will be no easy task for newcomer Nazr Mohammed. While Nazr isn’t anywhere near the defensive predator that Ben Wallace was, his offensive game is more polished. In his last stint with consistent playing time, Nazr posted 10.9 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. Detroit expects similar results from the former Kentucky Wildcat.
The Pistons’ bench has the potential to be a very productive group. Veteran Antonio McDyess has been a consistent scoring threat for two straight seasons as a sixth man. Newly signed Ronald “Flip” Murray is another player who can provide a spark off the bench. He averaged 13.5 points in the last 28 games when he was traded to Cleveland. Finally, Carlos Delfino is a potential energy player who has yet to develop his potential.
Patrolling the sidelines will be second-year head coach Flip Saunders. Saunders has long had a reputation as a great regular-season coach who can’t adjust to the playoffs. Entering his second season with the Pistons after a family collapse, Saunders will join former Bucks head coach Terry Porter, who was hired by Joe Dumars to light the fire on the team.
The Pistons have their work cut out for them, but they still have enough talent to win games with a greater dedication to offense.