Overview of 2004-2006 Pistons Defense

A rough draft overviewing the 2004-2006 Pistons' defensive strategies and the differences between Larry Brown's man-to-man defensive scheme compared to Flip Saunders' zone-oriented defenses.

Under Larry Brown's man-to-man scheme, the 2004 Pistons produced the best defense in NBA history.
After acquiring Rasheed Wallace, the 2004 Pistons allowed 79.7 ppg for the rest of the season and 2004 Playoffs (49 games). The lowest ppg allowed for an overall season in the shot-clock era is 83.4 ppg by the 1999 Hawks.
The 2004 Pistons allowed 78.9 ppg for 26 regular season games post-Rasheed trade
The 2004 Pistons allowed 80.7 ppg for 23 playoff games
The 2004 Pistons allowed 78.6 ppg in regulation in the playoffs

The 2004 Pistons never allowed 100 points in the 26 regular season games post-Rasheed trade
The 2004 Pistons never allowed 95 points in regulation in the playoffs

2004 Pistons' Shot-Clock era Playoff Defensive Records
Allowed under 90 points in 18 playoff games (NBA record)
Allowed under 80 points in 11 playoff games (NBA record)
Allowed under 70 points in 6 playoff games (NBA record)
One of 2 teams (1998 Bulls) to allow under 60 points in a playoff game

Allowed under 45% FG in 20 playoff games (Tied-NBA record, 2003 Spurs)
Allowed under 40% FG in 12 playoff games (NBA record)
Allowed under 35% FG in 5 playoff games (Tied-NBA record, 1999 Knicks)
Allowed under 30% FG in 2 playoff games (Tied-NBA record, 1999 Knicks)

The 2004 Pistons also have Playoff defensive records for

Least PPG Allowed in any Playoff run of any length
(Shot-Clock Era, 1955-Present)

2004 Pistons allowed 80.696 PPG (1856 points / 23 games)
2000 Heat allowed 80.700 PPG (807 points / 10 games)

2000 Heat allowed the 2nd-least PPG in any shot-clock era Playoff run

In regulation (excluding OT periods)
2004 Pistons allowed 78.6 PPG for the Playoffs
2000 Heat allowed 79.9 PPG for the Playoffs

Lowest DRTG in a Post-1st Round Playoff run (1974-Present)
2004 Pistons had a 92.0 DRTG in the Playoffs

Basketball-Reference does not include Pre-1974 Playoff DRTGs, not that I am aware of, but it is likely that a 1960s team would hold this record, since Russell's Celtics had several regular seasons of 83-91 DRTG.

But from 1974-present and in the 3-point era (1980-present) the 2004 Pistons hold this record.

2000 Spurs had a 91.4 Playoff DRTG, but only played 4 games against the Suns with an injured Jason Kidd missing all but 1 game.

The 2004 and 2005 Pistons also forced Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan into the worst offensive series of their primes in their respective series matchups.

Jason Kidd shot 28.4% FG in the 2004 ECSF. The 2011 WCSF against the Lakers is the only time Kidd shot a worse FG% in a series, and he was 38 years of age.

Kobe Bryant in the 2004 Finals had 22.6 PPG - 2.8 RPG - 4.4 APG - 3.6 TOpg on 38% FG. This is perhaps the worst series of Kobe's prime.

Tim Duncan in the 2005 Finals shot 41.9% FG. The 2016 WCSF against the Thunder is the only time Duncan shot a worse FG% in a series. That was the very last series of Duncan's career, and he was 40 years of age.

Against Flip Saunders' zone defense, however, Dwyane Wade had his best shooting series, with the only 60%+ FG series of his career. Against Larry Brown's man-to-man defense, Wade shot 46% through 4 games pre-rib injury. This was also the only time Shaquille O'Neal outrebounded Ben Wallace in a playoff series, after Ben Wallace out rebounded him within the Pistons' man-to-man scheme in the 2004 Finals and 2005 ECF.

Sources for all quotes used in this video
2004pistons.blogspot.com

Song used
Los Pistoleros (Instrumental)
   • Los Pistoleros - Jonaty Garcia INSTRUMENTA...  

Credit to the following channels for video footage
Dzhiger Dzhigerov
gearmast3r
KarlMalowned32
mike poole
NBA in 10 Minutes
Nezir Genc
PurpleScoutCookies
Rare Air
Ryan Van Dusen
spursfan746
thegrandkenyon

Sagging Man-to-Man Defense, like the defense used by Larry Brown Pistons, is not a zone or illegal defense
   • Sagging Man-to-Man is NOT a Zone / Illegal...  

Abridged sections of this video
1. Pistons' Man to Man Defense in 2004 and 2005 Playoffs
   • Larry Brown Pistons Man-to-Man Isolation D...  

2. Wade Schooling 2006 Pistons' Zone Defense
   • Dwyane Wade Schools 2006 Pistons' Zone Def...