Typically, a key advantage of securing the No. 1 seed when the postseason begins is the rest that comes with it in the earlier rounds.
For the Detroit Pistons, not only have they found themselves botching every chance at rest in between rounds, but their struggles to close out series have put them in a position where they're forced to be the team running on fumes moving forward.
After the New York Knicks dominant sweep over the Philadelphia 76ers to secure their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, Detroit finds themselves forced to watch their nightmare unfold.
Pistons next challenge is a fully rested Knicks team
Assuming the Pistons are able to come out on the winning side of their current dogfight against the Cleveland Cavaliers, their next test will come against a Knicks team that has been given the chance to refuel with much-needed rest.
New York's ability to earn rest ahead of an ECF matchup is the worst-case scenario for the Pistons, especially given the fact that the gap between series will allow for two-way forward OG Anunoby to return to the lineup without missing any of the next series that will decide who secures their spot in the NBA Finals.
At the same time, taking care of business is what led the Knicks to secure the advantage, and for the Pistons, it seems like they'll go throughout the entirety of the NBA Playoffs not knowing what that's like.
Detroit is making things hard for themselves
Detroit runs the risk of allowing the Cavs to knot the series at two games apiece, and after being pushed to a Game 7 in round one by the 8-seeded Orlando Magic, the Pistons are playing with fire.
Before the postseason began, the worst-case scenario for J.B. Bickerstaff's squad seemed to be the possibility that either the Knicks or the Boston Celtics were still standing with rest on their side.
When the Celtics went down in round 1, it seemed like Detroit might finally have luck on their side, especially after their impressive comeback to win three straight against the Magic and open the series against the Cavs with two quick wins.
However, if the Pistons fail to close out the series against Cleveland rather quickly, they'll be forced to enter a key series against a well-rested contender whose championship aspirations are very real.
And the tough part about the team's newfound reality is that their struggles are self-inflicted, considering they've failed to handle business in what should have been an easier path than what the Knicks were forced to take on.
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