The Detroit Pistons are vastly improved over last season's team, which compiled one of the 10 worst seasons in NBA history at 14-68.
However, the Pistons aren't quite good enough to defeat the NBA's best teams consistently, as demonstrated by their 113-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.
Following the game, Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff was fuming. In his view, the Pistons didn't just have to contend with the second-best team in the NBA on Saturday. They also had to battle the officials.
"What you saw tonight was disgusting," Bickerstaff said.