Are the Pistons Playoff Contenders This Season?

Of all the surprises during the early part of the NBA season, the Detroit Pistons have to be at the top of the list.

The Pistons have been historically bad in recent years, winning just 14 games last season and 17 the season before that. Yet, Detroit has grown by leaps and bounds early in the 2024-25 campaign, with the Pistons currently on the fringe of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

After looking better than expected during the season’s first quarter, is it possible that the Pistons are genuine playoff contenders this season?

To be clear, the Pistons are far from favorites in the Eastern Conference or their division. The odds of them making the playoffs are still against them. However, with their progress, it’s worth exploring whether they can make the playoffs this season and make it clear that this franchise is back on the right track.

Detroit’s early-season performance has thrown sports bettors for a bit of a loop. In recent years, they were a virtual lock to lose on any given night, often getting blown out. But this year’s Pistons are a lot more competitive. That’s something to remember for anyone using any of the new sportsbooks available to bet on NBA games.

JB Bickerstaff Deserves Credit for Detroit’s Surge

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is the biggest difference-maker for the Pistons this season. However, Bickerstaff’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, is arguably the best in the NBA, which could be viewed as an indictment of Bickerstaff for not getting more out of the Cavaliers last season.

However, Bickerstaff looks like a good fit for the Pistons. After all, he has a history of improving young teams and might be better off coaching a team like the Pistons than a contender in the Cavs. Bickerstaff still deserves some credit for Cleveland’s success this season, as he helped rebuild the team in the post-LeBron era. During his first full season with the team in 2020, the Cavs won just 22 games. Two years later, that number was 51. Last season, the Cavs made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals before Bickerstaff was fired.

Bickerstaff could do something similar with the Pistons and has already started to work his magic with Detroit’s young core. Both Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey have improved noticeably from last season, seeing increases across the board in points, rebounds and assists per game in addition to higher shooting percentages.

Pistons Have Their Building Blocks

Cunningham and Ivey are Detroit’s best building blocks for the future, so their increased production is a promising sign for the Pistons.

The supporting cast around the pair has also improved. During the offseason, veterans Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, and Tim Hardaway Jr. were all added to Detroit’s roster. All are averaging double figures during the early part of the season while adding some stability and veteran leadership to Detroit’s lineup.

At the same time, they aren’t stealing the spotlight from Cunningham and Ivey. The two young guards are still the focal point of the team and the driving force. The only difference is they have a more consistent supporting cast around them.

Of course, Detroit still faces challenges. It’ll take more than those five players to get the Pistons to the playoffs. Starting center Jalen Duren has seen his playing time and production dip compared to last season. The Pistons would also like to get more out of last year’s first-round pick, Ausar Thompson, and this year’s first-round pick, Ron Holland. Those players still hold the key to the Pistons’ continuing to take steps forward and improve enough to make the playoffs.

Fortunately for the Pistons, Holland is coming off a career-high 26 points (11/14 FG, 2/5 3PT, 2/2 FT) last Thursday.

Finally, Detroit’s advantage is fueled by the weakness of teams in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference. Like the Pistons, the Wizards, Hornets, and Raptors have failed to take meaningful steps forward early in the season. The Nets and Bulls aren’t in better shape, while the Pacers and 76ers have taken considerable steps backward.

Cracking one of the top six spots in the Eastern Conference feels unrealistic for the Pistons. On the bright side, the four spots for the play-in tournament all seem to be up for grabs. Given their obvious improvement from last season, the Pistons should be in the mix for one of those spots.

That makes the playoffs a realistic goal.