The Detroit Pistons are replicating their 2015-2016 playoff push

The Detroit Pistons have put themselves back in playoff position. Their push for the playoffs has resembled a similar vibe to their 2015-2016 playoff push.

The Detroit Pistons are winners of 12 of their last 14 games. Their recent victory over the Chicago Bulls 112 to 104 showed their fight and willingness to win games that are heavily favored for a Pistons win.

After being down 21 points to the Bulls, the Pistons pulled a miracle comeback and won the game by 8 points; thanks to a scorching hot Blake Griffin in the fourth quarter.

This led to another victory on an early Sunday noon start time when the Pistons blew out the Bulls 131 to 108.

After the win Friday and Saturday night, the Pistons sit in the 6th seed in the eastern with a record of 34 wins and 31 losses. The Pistons are two games over .500 after a brutal December and January.

They sat 7 games under .500 and things seemed to point to another disappointing season. But the Pistons kept their head up and have played better basketball.

This has given many fans optimism for their remaining games of the season and whatever team they have opportunity to battle come playoff time. In fact, if the playoffs started today; the Pistons would play Indiana in round one of the playoffs in a 3 versus 6 match-up.

Many Pistons fans are excited at this potential opportunity. The Pistons could go into the series as favorites to take down Victor Oladipo-less Indiana Pacers team and move onto the second round of the playoffs.

But the Pistons have to keep on making a strong attempt on their playoff push to maintain the 6th seed. The Brooklyn Nets are right on their tail-end with only half a game behind the Pistons. The Pistons play the Nets on Monday in a crucial game that could decide the seeding by the end of the season.

Three years ago the Pistons made their playoff push and succeeded after they ended the season on a 13 win to 7 loss stretch.

Replication of a playoff push three years ago

In the 2015-2016 season, the Pistons sat with a record of 31 wins and 31 losses. Their chances of making the playoffs looked slim.

Fast forward to the 2018-2019 season and the Pistons sat with a record of 31 wins and 31 losses. And they were still in heavy danger of losing out on a playoff spot.

Their success came from a deadly pick and roll duo of Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond. Teams could not stop those two players in their constant pick and roll offense. Their offense combined with a trade addition of Tobias Harris propelled the team into the 8th seed with a record of 44 and 38.

In the Pistons recent winning stretch of games, the team has found some life propelled by a deadly pick and roll duo of Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond. But this time they have all-star forward Blake Griffin manning the team’s offensive load.

The Pistons are now sitting at 34 and 31 and not looking to slow down anytime soon. So much that a run to end the season and going into the playoffs could scare some of the top teams in the East if they were to meet the Pistons in round one.

But they will have to secure a spot first. In the 2015-2016 season, the Pistons were in a race for 8th with the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls and the Pistons faced off late into the season in a crucial season series game.

If the Bulls win, they get closer to the Pistons for the 8th seed; which could have potentially shattered the Pistons confidence the rest of the way. But the Pistons ended up winning that game, putting the team 5 games over .500 with a record of 41 wins to 36 losses. The Bulls would fall to .500 with a record of 38 wins and 38 losses.

Now fast forward to this season. The Pistons find themselves playing a crucial game against the Brooklyn Nets that could make or break them in the standings. They could set themselves a game ahead of the Nets; or fall a game behind them.

They also had to fight against the Washington Wizards. The big game against the Wizards came during game 80 of the season. Reggie Jackson had scored 39 points; clinching the Pistons the playoff spot for the first time since 2008.

The Pistons will find themselves facing the Heat, Hornets, and Magic each one time the rest of the way. Those games could come crucial as well because they could help eliminate the opponents and clinch a playoff spot for themselves.

Not only that, but in both the 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 season, the Pistons schedule happened to be one of the easiest remaining in the league. With the team’s performance as of late, they are most likely going to take advantage of this and win a majority of the remaining games. Nine of their next games are teams under .500