Thirty years ago, Pistons had a great bench, but not so much anymore
Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus, using a formula he created, ranked the best NBA benches of all time. It certainly didn’t surprise me the Pistons were included, given how strong their Bad Boys-era reserves and the Alternatorz were. But I was surprised which unit actually qualified, even if it was on a technicality:
10. 1981-82 Detroit Pistons (33.5)
The 1980s featured few deep benches, and this Pistons unit ranks as the decade’s best. Perhaps the problem was that some of the best reserve talent ended up playing for teams like the Celtics and Lakers, who had relatively few minutes to offer. Early in the 1981-82 season, Detroit picked up Vinnie Johnson from Seattle, but Johnson was still about a year away from becoming "the Microwave." The group was led by Terry Tyler, an excellent rebounder from the wing, and also gets credit for Bill Laimbeer. Laimbeer started all 30 games he played with the Pistons, but came off the bench in Cleveland.
This year, the Pistons’ bench ranks 29th, according to Pelton’s formula – ahead of only the Lakers.
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Jan 18, 2012 • 12:34 pm
by JT's Hoops Blog
Was it THAT long? Whoa!!! In all respect, Detroit was deep with the likes of John Salley, Dennis Rodman, James Edwards, Vinnie Johnson, Mark Aguire (for a while). Love em or hate em that was a roster for the ages.
Jan 18, 2012 • 3:48 pm
by Upper Michigan
Wow, a bench? The Pistons do not even have five starters who can compete in this league.
Sorry to sound negative but as a fan from the Cobo Hall days I have seen many ups and downs and have never been so discouraged about this team in my life.
I used to post on the Detroit News forum, but that site got moved, and I decided not to follow it.
I do believe that getting a new owner, Gores, and hiring Franks is a move in the right direction. But I worry that Dumars is no longer the right GM/President to lead the way. I appreciate what he has done in the past, but nearly every move he has made in the last five years makes me despondent and discouraged.
But, I have seen and experienced hard times with this team before. I have hope, but few expectations as long as Joe is calling the shots.
Jan 18, 2012 • 5:53 pm
by Max
I doubt I’d approve this formula since the Pistons team it names shouldn’t be compared with the great benches in NBA history that supported great starting units and competed for rings. Of course a bench can put up better numbers in the absence of great starters who command minutes and huge roles but the true greatest bench is the one that compliments its starters the best and that doesn’t really go by the stats. Also, in a lot of cases, the primacy of a single sixth man or sixth and seventh man is more valuable than a deep bench. Would you rather just have Ginobili in his prime coming off an average bench from 7-12 or the combination of say what Phil has now with their deep bench? It’s not an easy question, but I would opt for Ginobili.
The 2004 team had a great bench, in particular because of Williamson, who was able to provide more willing post play than anyone else on the roster. They also had Okur and the combination of Lindsey Hunter and Mike James coming in and creating full court pressure that created havoc. I don’t know that stats can account for the kind of roles Okur, Hunter and James filled adequately because their support augments everybody’s effectiveness and this to me is the true nature of what you want from a bench,