On Saturday, the Detroit Pistons beat the Houston Rockets, a legitimate top-five Western Conference team, on the road. Detroit controlled most of the game and put the clamps down on any meaningful Houston comeback attempt all second half.
What the fans should take from this game is a little complicated. Let’s begin with the very obvious: Detroit has been playing better basketball recently, winners of five out of their last seven. That counts for something. Detroit is 11-15 and as of the afternoon of December 16, sit just a game out of the playoff picture.