The NBA just released its group drawings for the NBA Cup (aka the In-Season Tournament). The Detroit Pistons were placed in the East B group, along with the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. It’s probably the toughest group in the Eastern Conference but the Pistons may still be able to have a strong showing.
Detroit Pistons NBA Cup competition
Last year, the Pistons had a good performance in the NBA Cup group stage and were undefeated heading into the final group stage game with a chance to advance to the knockout stages. Unfortunately they were blown out by the similarly undefeated Milwaukee Bucks (who went on to win the Cup) in that game and unable to reach the knockout stage. This year, they find themselves in a group full of hungry teams.
The Brooklyn Nets will likely be fodder to the rest of the group, as their roster appears to be a step down from the others. However, it would be unwise to count out microwave scorers like Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. in an environment where single-game performances matter so much. It’s unlikely but possible that one of them gets hot for a two week stretch and the Nets find themselves 3-1 in group play.
The Boston Celtics will come into next season with a huge chip on their shoulder. After winning the 2024 NBA Championship with a dominant playoff run, the reigning champs were unceremoniously knocked out in the second round last season. They fell to the Knicks in six games and also lost their star player Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles which will likely keep him out for most of the 2025-26 season.
They’ve also taken steps to ship out some aging members of the championship core but I believe this will ignite even more of a fire under the remaining star players, especially Jaylen Brown. Brown had a down year last season but will be eager to prove himself in Tatum’s absence. And he will be flanked by the reliable Derrick White with an expanded role. Even without Tatum, the Celtics can still field a very competitive team.
The Orlando Magic recently added Desmond Bane to their young core and believe they are ready to compete for the Eastern Conference title. Bane brings complementary shooting and defense to their young star wing duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. This team was already tough to see last year due to their relentless defense but if Bane (and better injury luck) can help boost the offense, they can use the Cup to make a real statement to the rest of the league.
Finally, the Philadelphia 76ers are coming into the new season with their eyes set on vengeance. They originally had very high hopes for last season after adding Paul George in the offseason but floundered due to constant injuries to their star trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. They have now added #3 overall draft pick VJ Edgecombe to that mix and hope to bounce back into contention. With the NBA Cup being so early in the season, I think the 76ers can display their team at full health and be a lot more formidable than their record from last year suggests.
The Pistons didn’t exactly get lucky with their NBA Cup grouping but they will have a chance to measure themselves against teams at all different stages of development who are looking to start the season strong. After an offseason that most fans have considered lackluster so far, it remains to be seen how the Pistons will fare against this group.