2009-10 Detroit Pistons Predictions
Written October 23, 2009 by Jack Jones
The Detroit Pistons are kind of a tough team to get a handle on. Trading Chauncey Billups away for Allen Iverson seemed to be an upgrade at the time, but was disastrous. The good part about that deal though is Iverson’s expiring contract went off the books and the team was able to go out and sign Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuva. Joe Dumars thinks that changes in the way officials call the game mean that tough, physical defense is a thing of the past, so while those two guys might not be quite superstars, they are gifted offensively. I’m kind of interested to see how this strategy works out. The NBA odds makers have Detroit listed at 40-to-1 to win the East, and 50-to-1 to win the Finals. The over/under win projections have been set at 40.5, not much better than last year’s 39-43 record. If you are going to be betting on the NBA this year, then take a look at the $500 match bonus offered to our readers from BetUS.
Backcourt
This team has three quality guards in point guard Rodney Stuckey and shooting guards Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon. Gordon will most likely be the one coming off of the bench, but he’ll still get plenty of minutes. Stuckey was inconsistent a year ago and is probably more of a natual shooting guard, but he’s still young and has quite a bit of talent. Hamilton was hurt for most of the season and didn’t like coming off the bench very much. He still scored 18.3 ppg and can shoot at a high rate. Gordon will help the team with his 41% rate from downtown and the 20.7 ppg he provided for the Bulls last year. Will Bynum will be the backup point guard to Stuckey.
Frontcourt
Tayshaun Prince should benefit from the additions of Villaneuva and Gordon. He was asked to do too much at times a year ago, and his defense slipped. He should be able to concentrate more on shutting down the team’s best player this year. Villaneuva will start at power forward and provides the team with a decent mid-range and outside shooting threat plus he can run the floor. At center it’s Kwame Brown, who isn’t very effective on offense but does a good job defending against most centers. Chris Wilcox is another free-agent Dumars brought in to provide depth down low. Jason Maxiell and Ben Wallace also provide depth with rookies Austin Daye, Jonas Jerebko, and DaJuan Summers all fighting for time.
Summary
The Pistons are no longer a title contender, but they still should be in the playoff hunt. I have them finishing just ahead of the Chicago Bulls for second in the Central Division with my NBA predictions, and if their financial flexibility can be used to land a big name in the frontcourt, this team could be a real threat in the playoffs.
If you are looking to win more bets this year, take a look at the NBA picks offered by our experts.
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:
- Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Game 4 Predictions
- Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavs: NBA Picks & Betting Odds
- Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Game 3 Predictions
- Cavaliers Pistons Game 2 Predictions
- 2009-10 LA Clippers Predictions
Got something to say?
No comments yet, but your thoughts are welcome!