When the NBA started the in-season tournament known as the NBA Cup, most fans didn’t really care, and I’d put myself in that group.
The courts are hideous, and the games are just regular season games that don’t count for anything extra. To be honest, it seemed like a meaningless gesture towards change that didn’t change much except adding retina-burning colors to the courts that test the limits of my 4K TV.
But it became clear early on that the players were taking these games seriously, which led to some competitive and entertaining regular-season games that started to turn the NBA fanbase around on the idea.
It’s also become clear that the NBA Cup is not completely meaningless, as it’s been something of a preview for the NBA Finals.
The Detroit Pistons’ first goal should be to win the NBA Cup
There have been six teams to play in the NBA Cup Final so far, and three of them ended up going to the NBA Finals, with two of them eventually becoming champions.
The Lakers beat the Pacers in the first NBA Cup Final, and while neither team ended up in the NBA Finals, the Pacers did make the Eastern Conference Finals that year and the Finals in the next one, so it was an early sign that they were legit.
In the second season, the Bucks beat the OKC Thunder, who went on to not only make the NBA Finals but were the eventual champions.
Last year, it was the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, which was a preview of the actual NBA Finals, with New York going on to be champion.
There is something to be said for getting early high-pressure reps that come as close to the playoffs as you can get in the regular season.
The Pistons won’t be considered legit until they have playoff success, so they should care about the NBA Cup as an early test, and to show that they are more playoff ready than they were last year.
Detroit is off to a good start by beating the Nets, but still has group games against the Raptors, Magic and Bucks.
This is a group the Pistons should win, and if they do advance, they should go all-out to win the whole thing. The games are still ultimately no more meaningful in the win and loss columns, but they are a great way for teams to get their playoff legs under them early.
The Pistons have set a goal for themselves to make the NBA Finals, and the first step on that path is getting to the Finals of the NBA Cup.
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