The Detroit Pistons seem a long way from contending for an NBA Championship but that does not mean they don’t have some talent.
Sports Illustrated recently released their annual NBA Top 100 rankings and two Pistons made the cut.
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Coming in at No. 19 on the list, just behind Al Horford and Draymond Green, is Pistons forward Blake Griffin.
From Sports Illustrated:
“Blake Griffin made more pull-up three-pointers on a better percentage last season than Kyrie Irving, CJ McCollum, and Devin Booker. Suffice to say his career will never be the same. After years of gradual development on his shot, Griffin emerged as a kind of player we had never seen before: a big who stretched the floor off the dribble, less a point forward than a 6’10” combo guard. Historically, big men don’t shoot 35.8% on pull-up three-pointers. They don’t have the handle, the feel, or the correct mechanics. Even those who shoot well from distance were trained off the catch from the start. That makes Griffin more than a bit revolutionary. The Curryfication of the pull-up three has changed the way that NBA offenses—and thus NBA defenses—operate. What could it mean if a power forward could apply that same pressure? What are the applications we haven’t even considered?
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Also making SI’s Top 100 list is Andre Drummond, who checks in at No. 36.
From Sports Illustrated:
“Considering that offensive rebounding tends to fade with age, it’s a bit striking that Andre Drummond has been the best offensive rebounder in four of the past six seasons—including the last. Turns out that it’s thankless work to keep a quick, 6’11’’ center off the glass, particularly when Drummond is eager to get the easy looks that result. Those put-backs are an important part of his shot diet. It’s easy enough to get Drummond rolling toward the rim, but his effectiveness plummets if he hits any roadblock defenders along the way. Taking away Drummond’s first move is often as good as stopping him. For as imposing as he is, physically, Drummond has never been great about using his body to seal a defender or leaving his footwork open to several different moves. It’s for those reasons, among others, that Drummond had his shot blocked more often than any center in the league last season. Under the right circumstances, Drummond can be overwhelming. Yet too often, on offense and defense alike, he puts himself in a bind by not thinking ahead.”
What do you think about where SI has Blake and Andre ranked?
