The Detroit Pistons went through a horrible stretch from 2019 to 2024 — they could not register more than 23 wins a season in those five years, floundering at the bottom of the table. Last season, they recorded an unwanted NBA record of 28 consecutive losses. However, they’ve turned things around this campaign, and no one is prouder of it than former Piston Isiah Thomas.
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The point guard, who helped the Pistons win back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990, said the team has ‘found its identity’. While talking about Detroit’s turnaround on NBA TV ahead of their matchup against the Pelicans, Thomas was gleaming with pride. And he had valid reasons: They are the sixth seed in the East now with a 40-32 record.
“They finally found their way back home to Pistons bad-boy culture. Defense, rebounding, and playing physical. That’s who Detroit is. That’s who the city likes to see,” said Thomas, before delving into what he feels is the biggest factor powering the turnaround.
Thomas spoke about the three-point revolution that’s taken over the league. However, the Pistons are 25th in the league in 3-pointers attempted, with 35.1 attempts per game. Thomas claims that one of the main reasons the Pistons were able to bounce back is that they do not rely too much on the 3-point shot.
The Detroit legend didn’t stop there either. He couldn’t help but take a cheeky jab at the Celtics and their overreliance on the outside shot under Joe Mazzulla.
“Hey, if you want to shoot 50 threes, go live in Boston. If you want defense, hard work, rebounding, championship pedigree, come to Detroit,” he joked.
But then, the truth is that the Celtics, despite their occasional off nights from beyond the arc, are still one of the best teams in the NBA. Yes, they do average 48.2 3-point attempts a night. And that has worked for them in the past, and they are sticking to the winning formula.
The Pistons, on the other hand, don’t boast the best shooters in the league, and their roster seems to have been configured with the interior offense in mind. The likes of Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson use their physicality inside to dominate the opposition.
The Celtics, meanwhile, are an immensely well-rounded team and boast both floor stretchers and paint demons. It’s indeed hard to see Thomas’ words as anything but a joke, going by how the Celtics play and their record in the past few years.
