The Pistons are officially off to their best start in over 20 years after extending their win streak to 13 straight victories on Monday night in a win over the Pacers. They improved the record to 15-2, which is tops in the Eastern Conference. It’s also tied for the longest winning streak in franchise history, tied with streaks from the 1989-90 and 2003-04 seasons. Both of those seasons ended with the Pistons raising the Larry O’Brien trophy, and the hot start has fans hoping for another championship in Detroit soon.
The Pistons can rise to title contention this season
In the Pistons’ previous 13-game win streaks, the season ended with a Pistons point guard being named finals MVP. The current iteration of the team also relies heavily on their point guard Cade Cunningham to drive the offense. Cunningham’s rise into NBA superstardom, and his ability to elevate his teammates, is a major driving factor of the Pistons’ success.
In every previous Pistons championship team, Detroit has relied heavily on a strong defense. The 2004 team had one of the best defenses in NBA history and were even able to lock down a team led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the Finals. Today’s Pistons have also dominated on defense and have the second best defensive rating in the league so far. The team’s physicality and strong front line are nearly unmatched across the league.
The Pistons are also doing a great job of playing to their strengths and dominating the paint on both ends. Although they rank towards the bottom of the league in three pointers made, the Pistons have still maintained a solid offense by finishing at the rim and attacking the offensive glass. Rather than forcing non-shooters to take threes, the Pistons are finding other creative ways to put their players in the best positions to succeed.
The Pistons are fortunate to have a roster that is well built for the modern playoffs. One of their biggest weaknesses, even during this incredible winning streak, has been frequent foul trouble for their physical players. However, the last couple postseasons have shown that NBA referees are more willing to allow contact and swallow the whistle during the playoffs. For a team that already dominates with physicality and gets held back by foul calls in the regular season, it will only help their defense if this trend continues.
The offense is also showing signs of playoff readiness by dominating in close games. The Pistons are second in the league in clutch offensive rating, led by Cunningham’s frequent late-game heroics. It’s good preparation for the playoffs, when margins get narrower and games get closer. If the Pistons can maintain their momentum into the postseason, it’ll spell trouble for the rest of the league. Given their franchise history, it might even mean a surprise championship.