The Detroit Pistons had their worst season in franchise history a year ago, going 14-68 and missing the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season. It’s a different story this year. The Pistons clinched their first playoff berth since 2019 with a 117-105 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday. The trip to the postseason is […]
The Detroit Pistons had their worst season in franchise history a year ago, going 14-68 and missing the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.
It’s a different story this year.
The Pistons clinched their first playoff berth since 2019 with a 117-105 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday. The trip to the postseason is just Detroit’s third since 2010.
Now that the Pistons are playoff-bound, here’s a look at the updated standings after Friday night’s win.
Eastern Conference Standings
Western Conference Standings
The 2024-25 season has been a complete turnaround from last year for the Pistons, and much of that turnaround can be attributed to new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Last season, Detroit had the fourth-worst offensive rating and the sixth-worst defensive rating, per NBA.com. This year, the Pistons boast a top-15 offensive and defensive rating despite no major changes in the roster.
In terms of personnel, Pistons star Cade Cunningham has made another leap in his fourth NBA campaign. He’s averaging 25.7 points, 9.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds per game and earned his first All-Star nod this year.
Cunningham has a reliable shooting option around him in Malik Beasley, who is shooting three-pointers at more than a 42 percent clip. The team also added a veteran in Tobias Harris, who should take some of the credit for the team’s turnaround.
It’s been a great year for the Pistons, but it’s hard to imagine they can make it out of a tough Eastern Conference.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a historically good season and seem poised for an NBA Finals run behind Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and the rest of their core.
The Boston Celtics have had some hiccups throughout the year, but are still one of the best teams in the NBA and will be looking to defend their championship.
It’s also hard to count out the Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns-led New York Knicks as well as the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Even though the Pistons aren’t quite Finals contenders just yet, they seem to be on their way after a season of exponential growth. If Cunningham and the rest of Detroit’s young stars continue to develop, it won’t be surprising to see the Pistons pull off a first-round win.
