Stan Van Gundy has had yet another disappointing season, likely scratched from the playoffs for a second straight season. But the return of his starting point guard Reggie Jackson has given him some reason to be optimistic of what this team can be with a healthy lineup.
“I've been saying this for a couple of weeks, whether we see it over the last couple of weeks or not — I know a combination of Reggie, Blake and Andre, and then (Reggie) Bullock and Luke (Kennard) coming on, that we've got the pieces to be good,” Van Gundy said, according to Ansar Khan of MLive. “We know that Reggie is a good player. We know what we've been like when we've had him.”
The Detroit Pistons have played a combination of Ish Smith and others at point guard during Jackson's lengthy absence, one which has happened for two straight years now, as he missed the front end of the 2016-17 season with knee tendinitis.
“It's gradually getting better,” said Jackson of his knee. “I'm getting more explosion. I'm just trying to attack and take what the defense gives me, go downhill and find ways for my teammates to get open shots. And if they leave me open, continue attacking and get shots for myself as well.”
Van Gundy remains faithful to the promise he first saw with this team with lesser talent in the roster, noting it can be replicated if the core group manages to stay on the floor and avoid injuries.
“He was healthy his first full year here and we won 44 games and we didn't have nearly the talent around him then that we do now. And then last year he had to come back in the middle of the season (due to tendinitis in his knee) and then this year he started off and we were 19-14. We know, it's been demonstrated. If we can keep him healthy, we got a chance to be really good.”
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