The Detroit Pistons are in a familiar position with 24 games remaining in the 2021-22 season.
They have the second-worst record in the NBA and are once again in a battle for draft position, hoping to land a top-3 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
While having the worst overall record does come with the advantage of a guaranteed top-5 pick, it doesn’t change the odds to get the number one pick, so the Pistons are not in a position where they have to tank and will try to win games down the stretch to salvage some positives from this season.
It appears it will come down to the Pistons, Magic and Rockets for who has the worst overall record, so Detroit will likely be in the top-3 group in the lottery odds.
Strength of schedule will undoubtedly play a role in the final standings, so here are where the tanking teams stand.
Detroit Pistons strength of schedule: The race to the bottom
Orlando Magic (13-47)
21st most difficult remaining schedule
Key games: Suns, Warriors, Grizzlies, Heat, Cavs (2), Pistons, Rockets, Pacers (2)
Detroit Pistons (13-45)
17th most difficult remaining schedule
Key games: Heat, Bulls, 76ers (2), Cavs (2), Bucks, Mavericks, Magic, Thunder, Pacers (2)
Houston Rockets (15-43)
11th most difficult remaining schedule
Key games: Suns, Grizzlies (2), Heat, Jazz, Mavericks (2), Magic, Pacers
OKC Thunder (18-40)
14th most difficult remaining schedule
Key games: Suns (2), Grizzlies, Heat, Jazz (2), Bucks, Nuggets (2), Pistons, Magic (2), Pacers
Indiana Pacers (20-40)
30th most difficult remaining schedule
Key games: Grizzlies (2), 76ers (2), Magic (2), Pistons (2), Rockets, Thunder
I threw the Pacers on the list even though the Pistons have little chance of catching them. As you can see, the Pacers will play a big role in the final standings, as they have games remaining against all of the tankers, so could swing things one way or another.
The Pacers have just made big roster changes, and it is possible they will plummet in the standings, so are a team to watch.
The Rockets have the most-difficult remaining schedule of all of the cellar dwellers and may have the inside track to the worst overall record.
It’s hard to imagine the Pistons picking up five games on the Thunder, so they should remain in the bottom three, so now it’s just a matter of how that group shakes out.