Stan Van Gundy couldn’t fix the Pistons

The problem with having all the power is you end up with all of the blame. Stan Van Gundy took over the Detroit Pistons in 2014 only because the Pistons would allow him to coach and run the front office. And while Van Gundy inherited a tough roster, he’s had four years to remake it.

The year before Van Gundy took over, Detroit won 29 games. This year, Detroit won 39 games. The Pistons made the playoffs once in that four-year run (as a No. 8 seed that got swept by the Cavaliers en route to Cleveland’s first title). So clearly, Van Gundy improved the Pistons: he ended their playoff drought, and the latest incarnation was 10 wins better than the most recent non-SVG version.

But that wasn’t enough for Pistons franchise owner Tom Gores, who fired Van Gundy from all of his roles Monday.

Let’s be clear: this was a firing. In the Pistons’ statement, Gores explicitly says he decided a change was needed and that Van Gundy wanted to return to finish out his contract. There’s no chance in Hades the next Pistons head coach will also serve as president of basketball operations. Gregg Popovich and Tom Thibodeau are the last two of those relics in the league.

The Pistons really have been a massive disappointment over the past two seasons. That 2016 playoff run came as Detroit rode high on the acquisition of Reggie Jackson. He’s been injured much of the past two years. It’ll be bittersweet for Van Gundy if he has a watch a healthy Jackson, Andre Drummond, and Blake Griffin thrive under a new coach next season.

Here’s a good rundown from Steve Hinson at Detroit Bad Boys on the biggest questions the Pistons need to answer now.

Sixers 103, Celtics 92
Boston leads 3-1
Recaps: Liberty Ballers | CelticsBlog

Cavaliers 128, Raptors 93
Cleveland wins 4-0
Recaps: Fear The Sword | Raptors HQ

Jazz at Rockets, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Houston leads 3-1

Pelicans at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Golden State leads 3-1

After a dream season, after all the real hope they could conquer LeBron James ... the Raptors went out like that? Yikes. Here’s a timeline of the Cavaliers’ dominance over Toronto in the playoffs. The series was unofficially over when James hit this absurd shot in the third quarter on Monday.

I wrote about the end of the Raptors.

Prescient Alex Wong.

The Sixers, meanwhile, maintained a little pride by winning Game 4 on the back of ... T.J. McConnell, of course.

Joel Embiid tried to taunt Marcus Morris, who reminded him the Celtics were, at that point, up 3-0. SHEESH.

Drake, having (wisely) moved on from squaring up with Kendrick Perkins, is fighting with an Instagram account claiming to be LeBron James’ teenage son. God’s plan.

Did you recall that the Cavaliers have a lottery pick from the Kyrie Irving trade? Ricky O’Donnell’s latest mock draft imagines that Cleveland wins No. 1 overall, which totally seems fair.

Rodney Hood apparently refused to go in for garbage time. Yikes.

I wrote about how and why we judge coaching decisions so earnestly, as if we collectively know anything about how any of these candidates will do.

I’m not 100 percent convinced this thread on Chinese NBA fan nicknames for players is 100 percent real because some of the nicknames are so funny.

Looking at the preseason candidates for WNBA MVP.

Good piece on what’s at stakes this summer and next year for the Grizzlies.

Interesting piece from Brian Windhorst on how James has learned to rest while playing, which is frankly similar to how I rest while writing by mailing it — wait my editor reads the newsletter! Backspace! Backspace! BACKSPACE!

And finally: Jrue Holiday’s daughter with the assist of the year. Bless that family.

Be excellent to each other.