The Detroit Pistons lost their second straight game tonight, falling 110-106 to the Indiana Pacers in overtime. The Pistons are now 5-5 when Allen Iverson and Richard Hamilton are in the starting lineup.
Kevin Sawyer at Detroit Bad Boys crunched some numbers earlier today:
To date, we have played nine games under a small ball regime and the remaining 27 under… Well, I don’t quite know the precise term, so let’s just call it, say, “professional basketball.”
In the nine games in which we have employed small ball, we are 5-4, with an average margin of victory of +0.1. Hmmm… Not bad. Until you factor in the quality of competition.
Those nine teams have a combined record of 124-217, which translates to 30-52 over the course of an NBA season. Worse, six of those games were at home. Factoring in the expected margin of home court advantage, we play like a 29-53 team while employing small ball.
In those games in which we have played professional basketball, we are 17-10. Not quite as good as it sounds, as our scoring margin is only +1.3, against competition that has been 511-506, with fifteen of our games at home. As such, we play like a 47-35 team when utilizing professional basketball.
Of course, the sample size is small (and the comparison between the two samples uneven) and there are other factors that go into two point losses to the Bobcats. Caveat, caveat, caveat…
But if this trend holds, and Coach Curry keeps the small ball regime for the remainder of the season, we can expect to finish 38-44 if we anticipate average competition, which we cannot.
The Pistons have been outscored 62-52 in points in the paint and outrebounded 94-89 over the last two games. Tayshaun Prince is a good defender at his natural small forward spot, but at 6-9, 215 pounds, he lacks the size required to defend the rim and rebound in traffic from the power forward position.
Curry has a decision to make … and soon.
Richard Hamilton is better than Allen Iverson. But unfortunately, I don’t think Iverson will be the one coming off the bench. Not only has Hamilton expressed a willingness to subordinate his ego for the betterment of the team, it would be difficult for General Manager Joe Dumars and Curry to demote their prized acquisition. Trading for A.I. may have been financially motivated since his deal expires after this season, but I don’t think Dumars or Curry envisioned Iverson as Detroit’s sixth man.
The main question when Detroit dealt for Iverson was how he would fit in with the Pistons. Thirty-two games later, that question remains unanswered. With Chauncey Billups warranting MVP consideration, Detroit’s swap with Denver is looking increasingly one-sided.
