Pistons Playing Flat, Uninspired

The NBA has arguably one of the lengthiest regular seasons, where roughly 10% of the 82 games have any meaning. Nonetheless, it has come across lately that the Pistons leave Sundays reserved for the NFL. With their most recent loss the PIstons have dropped to 6-6 with Iverson on the team and 0-4 on Sundays. With the team no longer holding practice before Sunday games, and apparently holidays for some others, this current squad may be destined to make up their ground in the playoffs on the road.

This team has shown a troubling epidemic lately that should cause a number of sleepless nights for Joe Dumars and staff. The team has shown up for some games (see fourth quarter of Cavs game, Lakers game) while taking other games off (Celtics game, T-Wolves game). The on/off switch plaguing the team is very similar to the attitude seen with Rasheed Wallace in the past. It took Iverson only three weeks to cause his first flap with the team, there is no reason to expect more from himself and others along the way.

With the first full month of the season in the books, the Pistons find themselves in an unusual situation where they are in a group that includes Atlanta, New Jersey and Toronto in the battle for the final home court spot (if the season were to end today). Orlando, Boston and Cleveland are all playing solid basketball right now and there is no reason to expect that to stop. The same can be said for a Pistons team challenging its first-year coach.