The Detroit Pistons are competing for an Eastern Conference playoff berth this season but here’s how each team could spoil those hopes.
After dominating the 1990’s, the NBA’s Eastern Conference has mostly been kicked in the teeth by the West. The East has won only seven titles since 1999 and if you remove LeBron James from the equation that number drops to just four.
The Toronto Raptors didn’t just shock the NBA last year when they won the title, but also gave renewed hope to the teams in the Eastern Conference that things are changing. If you can win the East and a couple of things go your way, you can win the title.
Let’s face it, A LOT of things would have to break right for Detroit to contend for an Eastern Conference title, but the conference and NBA overall are as wide open as they have been in years.
Detroit went a mediocre 27-25 in the East last year, a record that must improve if they are going to finish in the top half of the conference. Every team ahead of Detroit in the standings had a better record against the East, so it is imperative that Detroit do much better against the teams in their conference.
With a load of shuffling and some rising young talent, the East should be better this year from top to bottom and even the worst teams will have one or two guys that can beat you on a given night. Even the perennial tankers are starting to turn things around, so the Pistons will have to bring it every night if they want to finish in the top half of the conference. There are no gimmes, and every team has at least one thing that should worry the Pistons.