Prior to Dec. 21, the Pistons ranked 17th in EFG (53.7%) and 3-point percentage (35.8%). They’ve benefitted heavily from investing in shooting over the offseason, as all three veterans are knocking down 3s at a high clip.

Doormats and punchlines no more, the Pistons are adding themselves to the list of great surprises in the NBA this season. They're now 21-19 after winning Monday night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, meaning they'll hit the halfway mark of the season with a winning record for the first time since 2017-18.

With the Detroit Pistons holding plenty of cap space ahead of the trade deadline, they were initially viewed as a team that could play the role of facilitator i