They lead the NBA in wins to this point in January. They may have a successful report at mid-season. They’ve gained 5 of their final six residence video games, and so they have additionally gained 5 of their final six away video games.
And likelihood is you will not guess which crew matches that billing.
These are the Detroit Pistons. Sure, the Pistons.
No extra doormats and punchlines, the Pistons are added to the listing of good surprises within the NBA this season. They’re now 21-19 years later win Monday night time in opposition to the New York Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard, that means they’ll attain the midway level of the season with a successful report for the primary time since 2017-18.
“We imagine we will beat anyone,” Pistons middle Isaiah Stewart mentioned. “That is our perception. We’re adequate to beat any crew on this league. That is the idea we have now and we imagine in one another. We all the time belief one another to go on the market and to be the perfect variations of ourselves. When we have now that collectively as a bunch, that is lots of power – lots of optimistic power that we put out.
The thought of the Pistons beating anybody – actually anybody – a yr in the past would have been comical. That is the crew that has misplaced a report 28 consecutive video games, the worst single-season streak in NBA historical past. They have been 4-37 in 41 video games, tying the sixth-worst begin to a season ever. They have been so dangerous that Pistons proprietor Tom Gores needed to do the unthinkable and fireplace coach Monty Williams with 5 years and roughly $65 million remaining on his contract.
This yr’s Pistons began 0-4 beneath new coach JB Bickerstaff. Preseason expectations of being dangerous once more appeared fairly secure. However they’ve now gained 10 of their final 12 video games and lead the NBA with seven wins to this point in January. They may very well be a play-in crew. They may very well be a playoff crew. They might have an All-Star in Cade Cunningham. The best way he is presently enjoying, Cunningham — who’s aiming to change into Detroit’s first All-Star since Blake Griffin in 2019 — could need to go forward and plan a visit to San Francisco subsequent month for that very motive .
“I’m simply grateful for my crew, grateful for this teaching employees,” Cunningham mentioned. “We’ve to proceed. We nonetheless have lots of work to do.”
The Pistons have already damaged final season’s win complete of 14. They could be simply weeks away from rewarding bettors who exceed their season win complete set at 25.5 by BetMGM Sportsbook. That is occurring with Cunningham – the No. 1 choose within the 2021 draft – who now appears to be like like a bona fide star, with season averages of 24.5 factors, 9.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds per sport.
“Our job is to place him able to succeed. After which he has to go on the market and do it,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “Over these 40 video games now, he and I and his teammates have discovered lots about one another and find out how to greatest assist one another. And that is what it is all about: every of us enjoying our half. position and does what we’re presupposed to do collectively and collectively to assist one another, make this crew pretty much as good as doable. Cade is aware of his position and what this crew wants, and he executed it completely.
It appears becoming that Bickerstaff can be a part of one thing good, since he was let go by a very good crew in Cleveland after final season. The Cavaliers recorded a complete of 48.5 wins to start out the season; they’re presently among the best 33-5 within the NBA.
Oklahoma Metropolis, Houston, Chicago, Portland, Brooklyn and Atlanta are additionally among the many groups on monitor to surpass their anticipated win complete for the season. However they will not make it in January, just like the Pistons might. If that is the metric for measuring surprises, then the Pistons is likely to be the largest shock to this point this season.
“The perfect half about this crew is discovering alternative ways to win the sport,” Bickerstaff mentioned.
This has been a very long time coming. It is not time to start out promoting playoff tickets but, Detroit. However prior to now, the final time the Pistons had even performed two video games above .500 — barely above mediocrity — was March 2019, virtually six years in the past.
These are good indicators. Indicators of progress. Indicators of perception. For a franchise that hasn’t gained a playoff sport in 17 years — there are 173 gamers, 10 coaches and two arenas — there may very well be actual hope this time round.
