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Brandon Jennings' career-high 26.4 usage rate this season has people questioning whether the first-year Detroit Piston is a true point guard.

(The Associated Press)

AUBURN HILLS -- The

long early road excursion has ended and a string of home games is forthcoming, including tonight against the Atlanta Hawks.

It's an important transition period for the 4-7 Pistons, and with the holidays drawing near, fan interest in this week's "Ask David" questions has focused on precisely what the identity of this team is, and where it is going.

For inclusion in next week's version, email your questions to

and put "Ask David" in the subject line.

So we begin:

Q:

before the Kings game raised a few interesting points. The article speculated the Pistons' defense was trying for too many steals, leading to points off turnovers but horrible defensive field goal and defensive rebound percentages. You have mentioned closing the lane, defending the perimeter/pick-and-roll. Are they trying for too many steals and getting out of rebounding position? The article also said they're great in the lane (offensive rebounds, drawing fouls, leading in points in the paint) and avoiding turnovers, but Brandon Jennings is shooting too much and that therefore the numbers with him on the floor are a lot worse (top-five offense without him, prior to the Kings game). Given that Jennings is among the top three in point-guard shot attempts and bottom third in field-goal percentage, should he shoot maybe a little less despite getting the Dumars green light to be a bit "selfish," as you said? Thanks. -- Alvin

A:

There have been issues with gambling too much defensively on the perimeter, which creates both defensive rotation and rebounding issues. Jennings, in particular, is prone to taking chances both on the ball and in passing lanes, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also takes some risks to get a hand on the ball defensively. All in all, it has been better with KCP in the starting lineup and his position defense makes him a trustworthy closer.

As to Jennings, I thought

was a prime example of

. They were having a tough night. Greg Monroe played like he came to believe the offense never would run through him in that game. Josh Smith might have pressed, ever so slightly,

. I'm not at all opposed to Jennings creating his own offensive opportunities, but in that instance, he was presented with the perfect chance to get his front line re-engaged and change the course of that game, and didn't do it.

Rodney Stuckey also was an offensive focal point in that game. He was very efficient until the Hawks doubled him in the second half and got the ball out of his hands. Stuckey also plays with different teammates than Jennings and has to generate offense with that group. But two point guards operating as the offensive focus led to a lot more standing around than usual.

The Pistons are a good team when two of the big three play well, and on a night when none of them did, Jennings could have helped force the issue. He took 21 shots instead.

Q:

Happy holidays Dave! I am writing to add a question to Santa David. Eleven games in and the Pistons are a bit worse in the record column than I anticipated. I have seen some bright spots, including Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's defense, Drummond's maturation and Stuckey being a great team player (it's a contract year!) There also have been a fair share of disappointments, such as the spacing problems of the big three, the lack of outside shooters and the inconsistency of some star players (Smith and Jennings). What has the team shown you, if anything, to give us hope that they will eventually be more of an above-average team? Thanks. -- Randy S.

A:

I'll try not to make a turkey of this answer, Randy.

I think the big three works as long as the Pistons don't stray too far from the principle that it works best with Greg Monroe as an offensive hub. Andre Drummond doesn't need offensive plays run for him that don't involve catching and dunking. Josh Smith will find his offensive opportunities against smaller small forwards. As long as they keep Monroe involved, the Pistons' bigs can thrive together. When the ball sticks on the perimeter, they have problems.

I like how

and has established himself as a residual scorer who can stay on the floor because of his defensive presence. That's how you play a long time in this league. Although KCP and Tayshaun Prince play different positions and defend differently -- Prince was a pure position defender who rarely took chances or committed a foul -- their early Pistons career arcs are comparable.

I think

. Whatever playing time he gets will be because of his offense, but will be able to play for more extended periods as he adapts to the NBA game. He is improving every time he plays. The Pistons have to get his shooting threat on the floor more and already are working toward that end. When backup minutes at power forward are going to players like Datome

, and not to Charlie Villanueva or Jonas Jerebko, you know Maurice Cheeks is shaking up some things around here.

It's not a perfect team. They need some shooting. The defense has to get better on all levels. But Pistons games have been interesting this season, almost without exception. That, in itself, is an upgrade.

Q:

Hey David, after 11 games this season the Pistons stand at 4-7. I know many are disappointed with that record but to me this is about exactly where I thought they would be after 11 games, what are your thoughts? To me, while not as tough as last season’s early schedule, this season’s early schedule has been very tough. I mean the four west-coast games, a game at Memphis and home games versus the Pacers and the Thunder, plus a new coach and eight new players ... to me that added up to about four or maybe at best five victories after 11 games. For whatever reason, it seems like the fans like to have Rodney Stuckey as their new “whipping boy” of course last season it was coach Lawrence Frank and Jason Maxiell, how good has Stuckey been this season? To me you could make a strong case that Rodney has been the Pistons' MVP up to now. I know you have mention as of now he could be the front-runner for the NBA’s best sixth man this season. Finally, was the signing of Chauncey Billups a mistake? To me he is 37 and shows every bit of it, I just don’t know how much he has left in his tank. Don’t forget he only played a combined 42 games the last two regular seasons and this season has already missed four games. Thanks and God bless. -- Jeff

A:

Just to clarify, I just wrote that Stuckey is starting to build a sixth-man candidacy. Whether he becomes a front-runner depends upon sustaining it, staying in that role, and getting the Pistons into the playoffs at minimum.

The discussion about Stuckey, relative to who the Pistons' MVP has been, was the subject of a couple casual conversations among the beat writers this week. I think you would have to consider Smith the overall MVP. But as you mentioned, you could make the argument for Stuckey, who has averaged 17.8 points the last four games as his role increased and he was given more point-guard responsibilities.

I wouldn't call signing Billups a mistake just because of his contract, his mentorship, the promise that he might bail you out of a situation if you need a quick offensive spark and he can stay healthy, and because doing the right thing wasn't a bad idea in this case. It's probably not going to be a highly productive final season for Billups, but he's spending it in the right place and might transition easily into a future role with the team.

The Pistons are right where I thought they would be. They have a lot of home games upcoming. They need to put some hay in the barn and start finding some road wins, and they'll be OK.

Q:

Hello David, I've just started reading your work this season, but I'm pleased with your analyses and objectivity. I've been a Pistons fan since Zeke arrived. I've seen good teams come and go. One thing that remains is that whenever a Detroit team is competitive, it's also a good defensive team. The first nine to 10 games of this year have been painful to watch. This has to be the biggest disparity between talent and defense since Flip Saunders coached here.

I don't understand why the following is so difficult and why no one is talking about it: This team routinely sends two players to double (or pressure) the ball as soon as the opposition crosses the time line. This happens whether the opposition is running the pick-and-roll or not (I understand the mistake if two guys follow the ball on the pick-and-roll, this is different). Why is Cheeks repeatedly doing this? Our defense is instantly out of position and is NEVER able to recover to defend open shooters if the other team makes more than one pass. How does it benefit the Pistons to have their defensive rotation wrecked on every play before the shot clock gets inside 15?

Secondly, why on earth does this defensive scheme call for either Stuckey or Singler to CONSTANTLY sag off of open shooters into the paint when, A) Teams almost never pass to that guy because there's usually a big man between the strong-side player with the ball and his teammate in the paint; B) Neither Stuckey nor Singler has ANY ability to do ANYTHING from behind an opposing big man standing right in front of the rim; and C) Both Singler (having attended Duke does not equal "smart defender") and Stuckey (being strong does not equal defensive ability) are HORRIBLE defensively and are late getting back to the corner shooters 100 percent of the time.

We are getting burned by open shooters in EVERY game. I don't care that the 3-point shot is the lowest-percentage shot available. Teams are killing us with iT EVERY NIGHT. We cannot continue to employ a "hope they miss" strategy as Mo Cheeks recently suggested after the Portland game (I was in the Moda Center for that one), "They just shot the ball well ... that's the name of the game." REALLY?

I'll save my question on why Stuckey and Singler continue to get major minutes for a day when it doesn't make the veins in my head pop out. Thanks for the great work! -- K. King, Portland, Ore.

A:

Thanks for the manifesto, K. While you and I might part company on a few things, in particular Stuckey's defensive ability (when engaged, he's very good, which I acknowledge is an unpredictable stipulation), the general tone of your question cuts to the heart of a conversation which is just beginning to take shape with this team, and which was the subject of an informal chat with a Piston who shall remain unnamed this week: Are the Pistons bad defensively because they have bad defenders or a bad scheme?

As I'm sure you're aware from the games since you sent this question, the efforts to double-team ballhandlers before opponents get into offensive sets has leveled off some. That's partly because the Pistons have been less efficient offensively and are more likely to double a ballhandler out of set defense than transition. The reason for it is to get the ball out of a dynamic guard's hands and into the hands of someone the defensive team would rather have it. If it works, the offensive team either is forced to run a set with a lesser catalyst or waste valuable shot-clock time getting the ball back into the point guard's hands. Two key points: One, you're more likely to do it against, say, Damian Lillard than Beno Udrih; two, it helps if the trapper gets there before the ballhandler makes an easy pass to create a four-on-three situation behind the double-teamers. Yeah, when that happens, it doesn't look so good.

A lot of people are being hard on Singler right now, and he's done some things to deserve it. He simply didn't give the Pistons much the first few games. He has played better since you sent this question several days ago. He constantly plays against more athletic players. He absolutely needs to shoot a better percentage, because he's getting open looks. He also cuts hard, makes athletic opponents work defensively, and is a decent undersized rebounder with a nose for the ball.

As for sagging off of weak-side shooters, and the assumption that it shouldn't be necessary in a clogged lane and isn't beneficial anyway because of the players you're asking about, the Pistons actually have given up a little more than they would like on paint-to-paint passes and weak-side cuts, whether out of pick-and-roll plays or not. They're certainly not covering big-man screeners on straight-line dives very well, as you know. The interior deterrents just haven't been as effective as hoped. Easy baskets still win in this game, and they have to do something to stop them. Opponents have thrived offensively in the paint since you sent this question. So with all that said, why sag anyway, if it only creates perimeter options? Hey, if I had all the answers for why coaches do what they do, I wouldn't have become a writer, I would've become Phil Jackson.

No matter what happens, no matter how they do it, the Pistons have to guard the 3-point line better. The best shot in the game is a layup or dunk, second-best is a free throw, third is a corner 3-pointer (and some would argue you can reverse the latter two). But the 3-point defense wouldn't be so glaring if the Pistons' interior defense weren't so poor. I think the defensive improvement has to start with making Andre Drummond regard rebounding as his third defensive responsibility, with on-the-ball defense first when applicable, and swatting any shot by any basket attacker a close second. As Drummond transitions into more of an attacking intimidator and less of a lurking rebounder, the rest of the defensive responsibilities will even out. You want to build a team around an interior stopper, that's what he has to become. He plays a lot with that second group, too. He's learning.

Not that I expect any of this answer to make you fall in love with Stuckey and/or Singler defensively, mind you.

Thanks for the long-distance readership.

-- Have a Pistons-related question for MLive Media Group beat writer David Mayo? Email it to dmayo@mlive.com with "Ask David" in the subject line.

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