Comparing the Lineups

The Pistons various starting lineups this season can be broken down into three categories:

1. Small ball (PG, SG, SG, SF, PF: Stuckey, Iverson, RIP, Tayshaun, Sheed). When the Pistons start a small ball lineup, they are 5-3.
2. No true point guard (SG, SG, SF, PF, C: Iverson, RIP, Tayshaun, Sheed, Amir/Kwame). When the Pistons start the game without a true point guard, they are 7-8.
3. Traditional lineup (PG, SG, SF, PF, C: Billups/Stuckey, RIP/Iverson, Tayshaun, Sheed, Amir). When the Pistons start a traditional lineup, they are 7-0.

Obviously these are relatively small sample sizes and a number of other factors, especially strength of schedule, are at work. Nevertheless, the Pistons have clearly played their best basketball when a traditional lineup starts the game. The Pistons will not win every game that they deploy a traditional lineup, but they will definitely win quite a few.