The Detroit Pistons have a word for crowds that size — average. A franchise that led the NBA in attendance three years ago was outdrawn by a Michigan State women’s basketball game in early January. The Pistons are drawing 12,844 fans per game. The venues in Milwaukee and Indianapolis are only slightly fuller on game nights.

Welcome to the new reality in the Central Division, where outside of Chicago, the stars are few and the empty seats are many.

The Cavaliers (16,113), Bucks (14,878) Pacers (14,238) and Pistons (12,844) rank among the league’s bottom 11 teams in attendance. No other division has more than two clubs in the bottom third. A quick check of the standings explains a big part of the problem.

via Tom Reed of The Cleveland Plain Dealer