The Detroit Pistons cleared the lowest bar the fans had for them this season, which was to win a first-round playoff series, its first in 18 years. It does feel like a collective weight has been lifted now that Detroit has narrowly avoided the worst-case scenario.
Losing in the first round would have brought with it a slew of negativity and narratives that will be softened even if the Pistons don't make it out of round two. If I'm being entirely frank, all I wanted from this playoffs was a series win and then to see what happens from there.
Because the Pistons had such a good season, people tend to forget this is a young team, so getting that first playoff win is a huge step in their progression.
Some of the weight has been lifted, but that good will won't last forever. The good news is there is far more pressure on the Cavaliers.
The Pistons can play loose and put the pressure on the Cavaliers
I'm not saying I don't think the Pistons will win, nor that they should be happy with a first-round victory, only that losing in the second round at this point in their development isn't catastrophic. OKC lost in the second round the year before they won a title.
That isn't the same for Cleveland, as a second-round defeat would be "sky is falling" territory for them and might prompt some big offseason changes, as they were one of the most expensive teams in the league and came in with a Finals or bust mentality.
Obviously, the Pistons are going to put pressure on themselves to win this series, and will go into it thinking they should, but they are not under the same kind of existential pressure Cleveland is under, which could prove to be a critical advantage when the games are tight.
This can especially be true on the road if the Pistons can take the home crowd out of it as they did in their incredible comeback in game six in Orlando. The more shots the Magic missed, the more clinched and nervous the crowd got, and that energy was contagious.
The Pistons are no longer the team with the higher expectations, which is a more familiar and comfortable position for them, as they will once again be the underdogs, which is exactly how they like it.
The Pistons have at least avoided the worst-case scenario backlash from some of the fans and pundits who were ready to blow up the team after game four. They can now go from meeting modest expectations to exceeding them like they have all season.
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