Just over two years ago, the Detroit Pistons looked hopeless. They had finished 17-65 with the worst record in the league, and followed it up with a 14-68 season, which was the worst record in franchise history. But as of today, there are murmurs of a championship push in the 2025-26 season. Such has been the turnaround.
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The Pistons, led by star guard Cade Cunningham, showed flashes of improvement last season, when they reached the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and won a game in the postseason for the first time in more than 17 years. They lost in the first round to the New York Knicks in a hotly contested six-game duel, and that experience has motivated the Pistons even further.
They are currently the number one team in the East with a 15-2 record and a 13-game winning streak. A big reason for their success is the inspired play of Cunningham. He is averaging 27 points per game and is an early MVP contender. The superstar in him has emerged, and the East has been put on notice.
Cunningham spoke about the resurgence of the Motor City’s basketball team during a recent interview with the NBA on ESPN. He expressed that this year, the Pistons were aiming much higher than just a playoff berth.
“We trying to get to the Finals and win a Finals. First-round last year was an amazing experience for everybody. I think we all learned something from it. We all took something from it, and we all have a chip on our shoulders because of that series,” stated Cunningham.
Cunningham is only 24, but he speaks with the confidence of a 10-year veteran. He knows that getting into the postseason was a nice accomplishment last year, but it did not mean it was time to get complacent.
“Last year, Play-In and all that stuff were more of the goal. We have to be in that, we have to experience that. Now that’s not even what we’re talking about. It’s how we can be the highest-level basketball team,” he added.
Cunningham, who was the number one pick in the 2021 Draft, could have opted out of Detroit at any point. He had the talent to star for just about any winning franchise in the NBA. But he wanted to stay and help the team build a culture. That hard work is paying off, and now he is coming for his prize.
It is still very early in the season. Trends can always change. But aside from the defending champion Thunder, Detroit is the hottest team in the NBA. If this version of the Pistons faced the Knicks, there is no question the series would have been much tighter. Would it have gone seven games? Or would this version of Detroit have closed it out even quicker?
Obviously, the most important thing is for the squad to stay healthy. The NBA has been dealing with a surge of injuries that has hurt the league’s star power. If the Pistons avoid that bad luck, they may just end the season as Eastern Conference Champions, at the very least.
