Last season, the Detroit Pistons evolved into the darling of the league, the team that came out of nowhere, won over everyone with their scrappy play, but ultimately came up short, as league darling teams are apt to do.
This year, they’ve lost that status, which is a good thing, as it means they are a legit contender and no longer a feel-good story or a fun underdog.
That status has transferred to the Charlotte Hornets, who have come out of nowhere over the last 30+ games to seize the final play-in spot after a rough start to the season.
The Hornets are an eye-popping 21-11 in their last 32 games and have won 14 of their last 17, many of them blow outs. They are putting up gaudy offensive numbers and currently look like the most dangerous team in the 7-10 play-in range.
The Pistons were in this spot last season, better than expected, playing an entertaining style that casual fans could rally behind, but the script could be flipped in the playoffs, when they will be playing the role of villain.
Detroit Pistons playoffs: The first round could be a war
It didn’t take long for the league and its fans outside of Detroit to remember that they hate the Pistons now that they are the best team in the league.
We’re back to the nonsense “they’re dirty!” “all they do is fight!” “they foul every play” takes that give us definitive proof that the Pistons are back.
Being atop the Eastern Conference for most of the season hasn’t hurt.
But being the #1 seed does have one disadvantage, which is that you won’t know who your first-round playoff opponent is going to be until after the play-in tournament, and then you have to take on the hottest team, the one that just won two do-or-die games to get there.
That team may very well be the Hornets, and if so, the Pistons are in for a fight, as Charlotte is putting up numbers that can no longer be ignored. Over the last two months, the Hornets have had the highest offensive rating in the league.
They have a star in LaMelo Ball who is healthy, a rising star in Brandon Miller, a rookie sensation in Kon Knueppel, and a tough veteran in Miles Bridges. They have a similar vibe as last year’s Pistons, as they are flying a bit under the radar because of last year and the early season, but the Hornets have talent.
The two teams also had a fairly sizeable brawl recently, which would only add to the tension of a first-round matchup if it were to happen.
The Pistons may get treated to the same kind of first-round drama that they handed the Knicks last season, but this year, the Pistons won’t be the underdog.