Predicting the Eastern Conference standings: Where will the Pacers finish?

8. Detroit Pistons

Like the 9th seeded Magic in these predictions, the Detroit Pistons are another team that feels very similar to the squad they rolled out a season ago. Continuity is important, but with a team that wasn’t really ever thought to be any sort of contender in the East, complacency is a killer.

Really, the only “big” move the Pistons made this summer was to bring Derrick Rose to town, and to be blunt, that’s not exactly a signing that’s going to move the needle too much in a positive direction in the Motor City. Still, he’s a guy that adds some needed depth to this roster, and that definitely counts for something during the long NBA season.

Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond should still be just as good as ever, meaning Detroit will have a solid chance nightly to steal away a win from most opponents. Griffin has some injury concerns though, so you can assume he’ll miss some time here and there, which will be tough to overcome for the Pistons.

Detroit will be fine, but they won’t make any sort of meaningful strides next season.