Image Credit : Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

How the Detroit Pistons are the hottest team in the NBA?

The Detroit Pistons are 8-2 in their last ten-games and are destined to playoffs after a long wait of five years.

Image Credit : Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Pistons have been one of the OG teams of the NBA and their success is also celebrated by the neutral fans. Most of their success came in late 1980s and mid 2000s. Since then, the Pistons have struggled and only made two playoff appearances in 15 years. However, things have changed in Detroit and it’s for the better.

Pistons started the 2024-25 NBA season with a new head coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, former coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the rebuild of a 22-50 Cavaliers and led them to two consecutive playoff appearances in three-years.

Cade Cunningham’s rise as the team’s leader has been exceptional. The guard also made his first All-Star appearance in the 2025 NBA All-Star game. He is averaging 25.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game. The Pistons star is third in the league in assists per game and top-15 in points per game.

Pistons’ young frontcourt in Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren have established themselves as team’s top defenders and rebounders. Duren leads in rebounding (10.3), Stewart leads in blocks (1.3) and Thompson in steals (1.8) per game. The Pistons are 8-2 in the last 10 games including eight consecutive wins with the fourth-best defensive rating in the league (109.0).

The Pistons have won EIGHT straight games by a least 5+ points for the first time since Dec. 21st – Jan. 4th, 2008. pic.twitter.com/6JhQ2zFwT6
— Extra Muse (@extra_muse) February 27, 2025

The addition of veteran players in Malik Beasley who is shooting 42.5% from the three-point line on 9.4 attempts per game and Tobias Harris who is averaging 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game has also helped the young core. The franchise has also made immense additions to their bench with Dennis Schroeder, Beasley and Stewart coming off the bench. Young rookie in Ron Holland II has also stepped up and has played the seventh most minutes in the season for the Pistons.

Also Read:

Joel Embiid to undergo further surgeries for his left knee issues

“Want to show why Nico did what he did”- Anthony Davis cannot wait to make comeback for Mavericks

Paul George announces big decision amidst 76ers’ woeful run

Successful rebuild by the Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons finished the last two seasons with the worst record and a total of 31 combined wins. In the 2024-25 season, the Pistons alone has won 33 games with 23 more left and are headed to their first playoffs since 2019.

The Pistons’ scouting has been only hits and no misses, drafting Cade Cunningham in 2021, Jaden Ivey in 2022 and Ausar Thompson in 2023. The team also added Isaiah Stewart in 2020 and Jalen Duren in 2022. The young core is going to cause upsets in the eastern conference in the upcoming years.

Cade Cunningham

Detroit Pistons

NBA 2024-25

Suryansh Kumar

NBA/WNBA Writer

nba

wnba

Hello, my name is Suryansh, and I write NBA/WNBA content for ThePlayoffs. I love sports, which is why I write and I love the NBA because of the stats. My aim is to find unique stats and perspectives to provide my readers with another angle on sports.