Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors have been a major reason for the NBA's shift towards pace and space. Most teams in the NBA are trying to emulate the Dubs by jacking up a barrage of threes and moving towards smaller lineups.
The key phrase is “most teams” because the Detroit Pistons aren't completely buying into the new-look NBA.
The Pistons still play two imposing, physical big men in Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. This can pose problems for their opponents who aren't used to playing against big, physical frontlines.
“They’re unique in that regard,” Steve Kerr told James L. Edwards III of The Athletic regarding the Pistons’ cornerstone pieces. “I think they’re a really good team. They’re well-coached, they’re tough, they got after us defensively, they were more physical than we were.
“I was really impressed.”
When the league zigs, sometimes it makes sense to zag. In fact, that's exactly how Golden State broke the mold and accelerated the process of moving the NBA towards the era of pace and space. The Warriors were definitely not the first team to do it, but they made it fashionable.
Perhaps Detroit's insistence to return to a traditional lineup with two bruising big men is exactly what's needed to counteract smaller lineups. Griffin is versatile enough to play on the perimeter or bang on the inside.
Whether or not this strategy will work long-term is still up in the air. But the Pistons are off to a 13-7 start and look like dark horse contenders in a crowded Eastern Conference.
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