Concerning playoff trend continues for the Pistons

After losing game one in Detroit to go down 0-1 in the series, the Pistons' streak of futility at home in the playoffs continues. 

This group has now lost four straight at home dating back to last season and hasn’t sent the home fans home happy since 2008, which is the last time they won a playoff game in Detroit. 

It was in a different building and Ron Holland was only four years old, so it’s been a while since the locals were treated to a home win. 

It’s a baffling problem for Detroit, who never let the home crowd get into it. 

The Pistons have to feed the home crowd 

You had the feeling the home crowd in Detroit was on the brink of going bonkers several times in game one, but every time the Pistons went on a run, they either did something stupid to end it, or Orlando hit a big shot. 

It always felt like Detroit was just on the verge of breaking it open, hitting a peak when they tied the game at 65 in the 3rd quarter, but then they promptly gave it all back, and the arena sat down. 

It’s strange for a team that only lost nine home games all season to come out with the jitters on their home court, but this has been a trend going back to last season, when the Pistons played better in Madison Square Garden than they did in Little Caesar’s Arena. 

Maybe they need the hostile crowd to get fired up, maybe playing at home causes distractions, I don’t know, but the Pistons have looked like a very different team in the playoffs on their home floor. 

This can’t become a thing for Detroit 

Obviously, you aren’t going to go far in the playoffs if you can’t defend the home court, a fact the Pistons found out last season. 

But the longer the Pistons go without getting this monkey off their backs, then the more of a thing it becomes, so this needs to end in game two with a resounding victory. 

Detroit has enjoyed a strong home court advantage this season, but they have to give the crowd a reason to get excited, which they didn’t do often in game one. As soon as the Magic got out to a lead, the crowd had a nervous energy, which feeds into the players, so this is a feedback loop of sorts. 

Once Detroit wins at home, this narrative will be behind them and they can hopefully start playing more freely, but they’ve played tight at home for two straight years in the playoffs and that trend has to end for them to progress. 

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