Pistons news: Henry Ellenson says the Eastern Conference is wide open

Detroit Pistons forward Henry Ellenson is aware of the team's place in the Eastern Conference, but believes they can still pull off a surprise.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors may be considered as the favorites to win the East, but not everyone is convinced that the race for supremacy in the conference is going to be dominated by the four aforementioned teams only.

One of them is Detroit Pistons forward Henry Ellenson, who believes that the East is wide open and that his team could surprise many by winning the conference. He also added, via Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, that they have talented players who can make his claim become a reality, and that the movement of some stars to teams in the West further helps their cause.

“It’s exciting to see how open the East is now. I feel like it’s ours for the taking. But the thing is, everyone is saying that now. Everyone is saying that the East is weaker now so you have a number of teams saying, “Oh, we can go make the playoffs now.” I think it’s going to be competitive no matter what. But I feel confident in our team and I think it’s ours for the taking. We have the talent – there’s no doubt about it – with guys like Reggie [Jackson], Tobias [Harris], Dre [Drummond], Avery [Bradley] and the list goes on. We have the talent to go do this and I’m excited about this season. But like I said, everyone in the East thinks that they can make the playoffs now, so it’s going to be that much more competitive.”

The 20-year-old Marquette product is entering his second season, and is looking forward to having a bigger role with the Pistons. Last year, Henry Ellenson only appeared in 19 games for them, as he was also assigned to the Grand Rapids Drive to have additional workouts and gain more experience. Despite being selected 18th overall, the team considered him a raw talent, and still needed to be developed.

If Ellenson can show that his game has vastly improved, he could turn out to be the x-factor that the Pistons need to win more games this coming season and make it to the playoffs. Should they make it that far, the talent and experience of their veterans will be relied upon heavily to upset some of the powerhouses in the East, and possibly take over the conference.