The Detroit Pistons Are Red Hot. Does Anyone Care?
The Detroit Pistons won their 10th game out of their last 12 Wednesday. They are the hottest team in the NBA. So why is their attendance so awful?
The teams 131-114 beat down of the Minnesota Timberwolves put them into 6th place in the Eastern Division, three and a half games ahead of Orlando, the team vying for the last playoff berth. Plus, they have a couple of marquee players in Blake Griffin, a perennial all star and Andre Drummond.
So why have the Pistons NOT been winning at the gate? They are currently 25th out of 33 NBA teams in attendance. Considering they've been playing well lately and have a new home at the Little Caesar's Arena in downtown Detroit, what gives?
A couple of things, really.
First and foremost, the team has only earned one playoff bid in the last ten years, so fans may be leery to jump on the bandwagon so soon. They've been burned before.
Second, the move downtown may not have enamored all of their fan base. For years, they played out in the suburbs of Oakland County, and many season ticket holders balked at having to drive 45 minutes downtown to see the team play.
Whatever the reason, it's really too bad, because the team deserves some support.
Locally, the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons top development team, plays out at the DeltaPlex. Their next home game is next Wednesday, March 13.