Central Notes: Gores, Bullock, Butler

Despite the team’s dismal record, Pistons owner Tom Gores has every bit of confidence in Stan Van Gundy to lead the franchise, and is optimistic that the club will turn things around in the second half. “I think we’re going to make a run,” Gores told the media on Sunday night, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “I like our guys. I like this group of guys. We’re going to make a run.”

After sneaking into the playoffs and faring as well as anybody could have hoped against the Cavaliers in the first-round, the Pistons have struggled in 2016/17. Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Lakers, the team was 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Elsewhere in the Central Division:

  • Although it only briefly halted Jimmy Butler‘s impressive season, the small forward is said to have lost as many as 10 pounds while suffering from the flu last week says Sean Highkin of The Athletic. In his first game back from the illness, the Bulls star dropped 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
  • It didn’t take long for Reggie Bullock to get dropped into the deep end for the Pistons, writes Rod Beard of the Detroit News. Bullock had intended to work his way back from a torn meniscus slowly, but injuries to other perimeter threats on the roster have pushed him into a bigger role, faster.
  • The Cavaliers are said to still be looking for more pieces before the trade deadline. Quentin Albertie of FanSided’s King James Gospel blog has put together five different options that they could pursue using their reduced trade exception.
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