NBA Power Rankings week 11: OKC Thunder continues hot streak

OKC Thunder Nerlens Noel (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKC Thunder Nerlens Noel (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder team previews: Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons(Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Previous: 25th. Detroit Pistons. 26. team. 64. . 13-24

Detroit Pistons:

Offense: (109.0)  15th
Defense: (111.6)  21st
Net: (minus -2.6) 21st

Games Week 11 (1-3): Won vs. Warriors: 111-104, Lost to Jazz: 81-104, Clippers: 112-126, Lakers: 99-106
Games Week 12 (3 games): Tues at Cavaliers | Thurs vs. Cavaliers | Sat vs. Bulls

I know the Pistons are losing but do they have to resort to playing dirty? It’s like the club figures if they summon the spirits of the ‘Bad Boys’ crews who were successful for Detroit they’ll experience success as well.

The problem with that mindset is those Bad Boy teams of the original Isiah Thomas and the Chauncey Billups crews played during a different era when defenses were allowed to defend using hand checks and weren’t penalized for many of the things considered fouls in the current era.

The reason I asked the question is game one of week 11 featured a match in Utah where Andre Drummond delivered not one, but two cheap shots. First, he clotheslined a Jazz player then he kicked Rudy Gobert where the sun doesn’t shine while dunking (seemingly on purpose).

Maybe Dwane Casey is trying to channel the bad boys’ spirits but this iteration of the Pistons simply doesn’t have the talent or fit of those former clubs.

The Pistons are currently on a season-long, six-game road trip.