The Detroit Pistons are one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA so far this season. After finishing with the league’s worst record in 2023-24, a season which included the longest losing streak ever, JB Bickerstaff has not only pulled his team out of the NBA basement. The Pistons have won 10 of their last 12 games and are clearly in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and can move up into the 6th seed if they are able to defeat the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
The Detroit Pistons Are 10-2 In Their Last 12 Games
Detroit had a more respectable start to the 2024-25 season than in year’s past. But they were still well under .500 in mid-December, having posted a mark of 11-17 through the first 28 games of the season. There were signs of improvement after finishing each of the past five seasons with winning percentages lower than 31%, but they were still in 11th place in the East and headed for what looked like another disappointing finish.
Few teams have performed at a higher level in the time since. Of the 12 games that the Pistons have played since December 21st, they’ve lost just two of them. One of those two was a 3-point loss to the Golden State Warriors, and some of the wins have come against teams like the Timberwolves, Magic, Lakers, and Knicks.
The Detroit Pistons are 7-1 over their last eight games
New era in Detroit. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xq95XwMNuU
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 14, 2025
Detroit isn’t blowing the league away in any statistical categories. They rank in the middle of the pack when it comes to both offense and defense, but it is an overall drastic improvement after being arguably the worst NBA team over the last half-decade. The Pistons have the 15th ranked team in the NBA in terms of points scored, and have allowed the 16th fewest.
They have a chance to make a big move on Thursday night. After two days of rest, they will be at home to take on the Indiana Pacers, who are currently a half-game up on Detroit for the 6th and final non-play-in postseason spot. A victory by the Pistons would cause the teams to flip-flop spots in the standings, and Detroit would have their best record through 41 games since the 2017-18 season.
The Pacers are equally hot, however. They had their 6-game losing streak snapped on Tuesday, but have been able to defeat the Cavaliers, Warriors, Heat, and Suns already in the 2025 calendar year. The game couldn’t be much closer in terms of the odds, as the Pistons are listed as 1.5-point favorites.
