The Detroit Pistons have transformed from having the worst franchise record just four years ago to currently holding the best record in the NBA at 40-13. The team enters the post-All-Star break stretch run ahead of defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and appears poised for their first playoff series at home since 2008.
Four years ago, the Detroit Pistons held the franchise’s worst record when the All-Star break arrived. Two seasons back, their standing was even more dismal.
The transformation has been remarkable.
As the NBA resumes action Thursday following the All-Star break, the Pistons — a team that hasn’t claimed a playoff series victory since 2008 — hold the league’s top record by the narrowest of margins over defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Detroit stands at 40-13, while Oklahoma City sits at 42-14.
While the Thunder’s position was anticipated, the Pistons’ rise has surprised many. Whether Detroit can maintain its grip on the top position becomes one of the most compelling narratives as the season’s final stretch begins — with roughly one-third of the campaign remaining as teams either push toward playoff positioning or tank for improved draft lottery chances.
“We’re just going to run our race,” said Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham. “We like where we’re at, and we’re going to continue to try to finish our season strong.”
Several factors favor Detroit heading into the season’s final phase.
The team has avoided significant slumps, posting an 11-2 record following defeats and joining just Oklahoma City and San Antonio as the only franchises without a losing streak exceeding two games. They rarely suffer blowout losses, recording a league-low three defeats by double digits. Most impressively, they’ve compiled a league-best 17-6 mark against teams with .500 records or better.
Postseason basketball returns to Detroit, marking the first time since 2008 that the Pistons should host a playoff series opener. Several other franchises — including Oklahoma City, Boston, New York, San Antonio, Denver, Houston, and Cleveland — appear virtually guaranteed playoff spots at this stage.
The coming two months will determine which teams advance to the first round versus those competing for the top draft selection.
“It’s been hard. It’s been a long journey so far, but just going to work every day, finding ways to connect with my teammates, connect with the city the best I can, and bring wins to the city,” Cunningham explained. “That’s what the city respects and loves is people that go out there and compete every day. There were times they didn’t like how we played. We figured it out, and now we have something going, something building. Just have to keep going now.”
The current top five teams by record include: Detroit, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Boston, Denver and New York (with the Nuggets and Knicks tied for fifth).
History suggests the eventual champion will emerge from this group.
While acknowledging the league’s smaller size in earlier eras, only four times has the NBA Finals winner failed to rank among the top five teams record-wise at the All-Star break.
Milwaukee ranked seventh during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season. Detroit held seventh place in 2003-04, Houston was ninth in 1994-95, and Washington sat eighth in 1977-78.
The scoring title appears to be a two-player battle between Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Doncic leads with 32.8 points per game, while Gilgeous-Alexander — last season’s scoring champion — averages 31.8.
After capturing the 2023-24 scoring crown, Gilgeous-Alexander could join just 13 other players in NBA history to win consecutive scoring titles.
Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton — both All-NBA selections last season — were expected to miss awards consideration this year due to Achilles injuries sustained in last year’s playoffs, signaling a different group of honorees this spring.
The changes will be more dramatic than anticipated.
Due to the 65-game minimum requirement for most individual awards, Lakers star LeBron James will see his 21-year All-NBA streak conclude. He joins four other previous All-NBA picks guaranteed to miss this year’s team: Tatum, Haliburton, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Golden State’s Stephen Curry teeter on the edge, essentially unable to miss more than one additional game to maintain award eligibility.
Cleveland’s Evan Mobley — a second-team All-NBA pick last season — has missed 13 games this year, leaving little margin for additional absences. The Lakers’ Austin Reaves, Washington’s Anthony Davis, and Memphis’ Ja Morant have all exceeded the eligibility threshold.
Additional players approaching the cutoff include Doncic, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, and Phoenix’s Devin Booker.