Insider Special: Defensive Improvements...

[Guest]

NBA Power Outage: Pistons guarding

their defensive rep

By Terry Brown

Wednesday, November 6 Updated 10:51 AM EST

Allan Houston was lucky to get out alive.

After the Detroit Pistons gave up 31 points to the New York Knick shooting guard on opening night, they have not allowed another shooting guard, point guard or reserve guard to score more than 15 since.

The very next game, Memphis Grizzly guard Gordan Giricek was held to 1 of 8 shooting. The next game, Los Angeles Clipper guard Andre Miller was held to 1 of 12 shooting. In all, the top three guards of the Pistons' first four opponents have been held to 31 percent shooting, going 33-of-106 from the field. All four of their opponents have been held to 79.8 points per game. All four opponents have been held to 39 percent shooting.

Think about that for a second.

In any 48-minute NBA game with a 24-second shot clock, the Pistons are giving up less than a basket every 60 seconds. Opponents are scoring exactly 19.9 points per quarter on average. If they're lucky. Including three-point buckets, instant replay and any complimentary free throws the referees will throw in.

Last year, they gave up only 92.2 points per game while winning the Central Division and advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They were arguably the best defensive unit in the game and, so far this season, have only gotten better by giving up 12.4 fewer points per game.

The 3-1 Pistons gave up only 12 points in the fourth quarter to the Knicks. They gave up only 34 in the first half against the Grizzlies and only 15 in the third quarter against the Suns. In the first 24 minutes of a game against the Clippers, the Pistons gave up only 32 points and then 74 for the entire game . . . and lost by two.

The Pistons shoot only 41 percent from the field themselves, scoring a scant 87.8 on average. Their leading scorer averages a less-than-glamorous 20 points per game. Their second-leading scorer isn't half that much. Their third and fourth come off the bench. Their starting center averages 4.8 points per game and their best long-range option has already lost his starting position.

And you should see the guy who lost the fight.

There is a good chance that starting guard Deshawn Stevenson of the Utah Jazz will survive tonight's game against the Pistons. But we're not promising anything about his statistics.

BEST DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS

1. Washington Wizards

Difference: -14.2 points per game

Comment: While everyone else is too busy paying attention to Michael Jordan's scoring average, the former Defensive Player of the Year has improved his steal numbers from 1.4 last season to 2.3 this year and is followed by Kwame Brown's 2 to go with his 4.3 blocks. Most impressive is that the Wizards have done this against three playoff teams, holding the Celtics to an embarrassing 69 points, the Nets to 87 and the Timberwolves to 90 for an average of 80 per game after last year's 94.2. Up next are two games against the Cavs and one against the Shaq-less Lakers.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Difference: -14.1 points per game.

Comment: There was nowhere but up for a team that gave up 98.6 points per game last year, but Tuesday night, the Cavs held the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers to a franchise-low 70 points while newly acquired Darius Miles helped check Kobe Bryant into a season-low 15. Long arms and even longer legs go a very long way. They are now holding opponents to 84.5 points per game. We can only hope that a team that won only 29 games last year and scored a paltry 67 points in game already this year isn't peaking four games into the new season.

3. Detroit Pistons

Difference: -12.4 points per game.

Comment: See above.

4. (tie) Houston Rockets

Difference: -11 points per game.

Comment: The amazing thing isn't that 7-foot-6 Yao Ming isn't leading the league in blocked shots but that he isn't even leading his team. In fact, he's sixth, behind rogue center Kelvin Cato, second-year player Eddie Griffin, the two shortest starting guards in the NBA in Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley and substitute Jason Collier despite playing fewer minutes than the No. 1 pick in the draft. Last year, the injury-riddled Rockets gave up 97.2 points per game and are at 87 now. Then again, this ranking may have more to do with the fact that the Rockets have played the Nuggets and Raptors sans Vince Carter for all but six minutes.

4. (tie) Denver Nuggets

Difference: -11 points per game.

Comment: You can't name five guys on this team and I can't explain how, before Tuesday night, the worst team in the league was holding teams, two of them playoff types, to 81.7 points per game and 39 percent shooting after giving up 98 per game last year except to say that if it is going to stay within remote control clicks, it absolutely has to. Typical of this team so far, Chris Anderson could work up a sweat in a telephone booth and come out of it with two boards and a blocked shot in between busy signals.

WORST DEFENSIVE COLLAPSES

25. Philadelphia 76ers

Difference: +1.9 points per game.

Comment: Maybe Dikembe Mutombo couldn't catch the ball or conjugate verbs with a microphone shoved in his grill but without him, the Sixers are one of only eight teams in the entire NBA that is giving up more buckets at this point of the season than last year. Brian Skinner by default is the lone remaining physical presence in the paint. The Sixers are being out blocked 7.3 to 2.7, outrebounded 51.7 to 38 and outshot 42 percent to 38. Last year, they gave up 89.4 per game. This year, they're at 91.3 and rising.

26. Portland Trail Blazers

Difference: +2.3 points per game.

Comment: Really, how can you expect anyone to be playing any defense on this team when all five guys on the court, three on the bench and two in retirement are all calling for the ball on the wing before the opponent has even shot it. Only one person on the entire squad is averaging more than a block per contest and no one is above 1.2 steals. Giving up 100 points to Sacramento is one thing. Giving up 96 to the Nuggets in another one entirely. The Blazers only wish they were close to the 93.7 points per game they gave up last year.

27. New York Knicks

Difference: +3.9 points per game.

Comment: It really wouldn't be this bad if the Celtics hadn't rung them up for 117 points last Saturday. But, then, again, it could be after these guys play Sacramento tonight. And you thought they were only kidding when rumor spread about Shawn Bradley.

28. Boston Celtics

Difference: +12.6 points per game.

Comment: The only reason Tony Battie has a locker in this league is because he's 7-feet tall and can block an occasional shot. But after 77 minutes this season, we have yet to celebrate just such an occasion. But you can't blame 106.7 points per game by the opponent on 52 percent shooting on one player. It takes five guys to lay down as the other team runs lay-up drills in between commercials.

29. Memphis Grizzlies

Difference: +14.5 points per game.

Comment: If you can't beat 'em, then join 'em. The Grizzlies may have lost to Dallas, Detroit, Sacramento and San Antonio, but they've scored 394 points themselves in the process and all anyone can talk about is the bright future ahead, just beyond the almost 112 points the Grizzlies are giving up on a nightly basis. But hey, who needs defense when you've got four guys with less than five years experience combined averaging double-digits?

[Diesel]

What will the Pistons do against us.

Hold JT?

I bet Big Dog goes for 35 if that happens.

Hold Big Dog? With who?

Hold SAR? SAR might lay another 50 on Ben Wallace and call him his B. I. Itch.

[Traceman]

The Pistons are as good as any team in the NBA defensively but I don't think they can entirely shut us down if we play our game. They might hold us below our scoring average but to do so, they will have to slow down the tempo and that means they won't score much either. I like our chances against them.

[Guest]

The only thing Detroit has is defense.They don't

get assist/rebounds/score.They will wear out

before the season is done.