The Detroit Pistons have secured the No. 1 seed, and with that, they've earned homecourt advantage throughout the entirety of the Eastern Conference playoffs
At the same time, Detroit has also unlocked the disadvantage of finding out who they'll play in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the very last second, with the results of the NBA Play-In Tournament set to decide their postseason path.
As the seeding at the bottom of the NBA standings continues to shift down the stretch of the regular season, Detroit's potential first-round opponents have officially begun to take shape.
And following this recent development, the Pistons have gotten one step closer to finding out who they'll be challenged by when the playoffs officially begin.
Miami Heat clinch spot in Play-In Tournament
The Miami Heat have officially clinched a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the fourth straight season after failing to climb past the 7th seed after yet another trying season for Erik Spoelstra's squad in South Beach.
Currently sitting in the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games behind the Charlotte Hornets, the Heat continue to look locked in for a play-in battle for the chance to secure the No. 8 seed and a first-round date with the top-seeded Pistons.
And based on their recent history in the play-in tournament, it seems like there's a pretty solid chance that they will be the team set to battle Detroit in the coming weeks.
Heat standout as favorite for matchup against the Pistons
Miami is poised for a play-in battle with one of the Hornets, Orlando Magic, or Philadelphia 76ers, who continue to fight for seeding with less than a week left in the regular season.
Obviously, there's a world in which the Heat are simply eliminated in the first game of the tournament, but considering Spoelstra's track record in the postseason competition over the last few years, it's safe to say it would be reasonable for the Pistons to brace for a first-round matchup against the South Beach squad.
And if we're being brutally honest, given the potential opponents that Detroit could be tasked to face, battling a Heat team, who has struggled to string together consistent performances, would be the best-case scenario, especially for Cade Cunningham, who could use the series to shake off any rust he has from his recent recovery process.
The Pistons will have to prepare for every situation, but they can at least gain some sense of clarity with the Heat clinching a chance at a playoff berth at the bottom of the East.