The rise of the Detroit Pistons meteor is one of the NBA’s biggest storylines for this 2024-25 season.
Over the past few years, Motor City has seen itself become a basketball cemetery. The past 2023-24 seasons served as the mediocre lowest point as they only won 17 games while making national headlines for Skid, who lost in 28 games.
But six years after the league’s laughing stock, the Detroit Pistons enjoyed an astonishing appearance, earning high praise among fans and experts.
They are now the fifth seed of the Eastern Conference (42-32) and are strongly erected to take part in the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2019.
There are many important factors in the sudden success and revival of Pistons basketball this year.
It all began in the 2024 offseason when Brass, a new front office led by Trajan Lagdon, coordinated JB Bickerstaff’s employment shortly after he rejected Monty Williams from the head coaching post. The team went to sign and acquired several veterans along the way from Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Cade Cunningham has finally become the highlight of the franchise and transformed into the authentic star Detroit is aiming for him. Behind him is Jalen Duren, Jaden Evie, Isaiah Stewart, Orsarl Thompson and several other piston talents that showcase their wonders from exciting rookie Ron Holland.
With an incredible mixture of outstanding coaching, veteran presence and a young core of flowers, Piston has become the strength of this season. And former star Rashid Wallace is unscrupulous about the situation.
“They’re the fifth species. They do it (good). They play well. JB (Bickerstaff) has now turned them into balls. I don’t want to hug you, I don’t even tell the truth.”
“Their cat, guys. They’re playing well.
“The guys play a lot. (Vickerstarf) get them, get those feet into gas, they’re moving.”
When Piston was last associated in the NBA, Wallace was still in the lineup. The former NBA star served as an instrumental piece from Detroit’s reign until the mid-2000s, appearing in the sixth consecutive Eastern Conference Finals from 2003 to 2008, highlighted by his epic victory at the 2004 NBA Championship.
With tickets to the bank’s postseason stage, the Pistons appear to be set in a potential seven-game showdown with their old rivals.
In the Milwaukee Bucks’ struggle, Piston moved up to fifth in the absence of Damien Lillard. If the playoffs begin today, they will face the 4th Indiana Pacers.
The Pistons and Pacers share the fierce rivalry of the time, with the infamous maliciousness in the palace. This 2024-25 year period, both teams locked the infamous horn in one of their regular season games.
While identifying his support for the Pistons team, Wallace acknowledges that the Pacers have an advantage in terms of experience.
“I think it’s going to be a good matchup,” Wallace said. “It’s going to be a pretty good series soon. You got (Tylese) Halliburton. Good for Halliburton. Will it be a good matchup between him and (Cunningham)?
“You got Miles Turner. He’s a big guy who’s solid for Indy. He does what he has to do and gets a double double. It’s a good match between him and Jalen Duren.
“I’ve got to be totally, I really, really, I just have to like a little bit. The needle pointed a bit to Indiana in that series because they were there.
“They are in the playoffs and Piston is about to get to where they want.
Regardless of how the season ends, the Pistons should be proud of themselves for the historic leap they have taken.