With Ish Smith sidelined for the next three to six weeks, after suffering an adductor muscle tear on Wednesday night in Milwaukee, the Pistons’ already flimsy backcourt rotation becomes substantially more fragile. This injury occurs at the most inopportune time so far this season, as Detroit is currently in the midst of an already brutal December schedule - with the Sixers (again) Celtics (again), Bucks (again), Timberwolves and Pelicans all up in short order.
No matter how Detroit tries to remedy this situation, they won’t be able to reproduce Smith’s token freelance offense.