The Detroit Pistons were dominant in the regular season. They now turn their sights on the postseason.
They will tip off the first round of the NBA playoffs on Sunday, April 19, when they host the No. 8 seed Orlando Magic at 6:30 p.m. on NBC (and Peacock). It has been a two-year turnaround nothing short of miraculous for the Pistons, who went 60-22 just two years after a franchise-worst 14-68 record.
Led by All-Star duo Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, they boasted the league's No. 2 defense and sailed to their best finish in nearly two decades. They split the season series with the Magic, who are fronted by 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero and Michigan alumnus Franz Wagner (No. 8 pick in 2021).
Here are two keys for the Pistons to beat the Magic and win their first home playoff game since 2008 (featuring an NBA record 10 straight home postseason losses).
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The likely All-Defensive forward was a one-man show in the Pistons' 106-92 road win over the Magic on March 1. Thompson tallied nine points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals; he led the way with big defensive plays in the third quarter as they held the Magic to 30.8% shooting in the second half.
It didn't matter that the Pistons missed their first 15 3-pointers and finished the night 4-for-30 (13.3%) beyond the arc. Thompson hounded Orlando's ball-handlers and sparked the Pistons' transition offense. Both teams embrace similar styles of play – prioritizing shots at the rim and free throw line on offense and wearing down teams on the other end. But the Pistons executed that style better, as they have all season.
Thompson is crucial to replicating that in the playoffs. The league leader in steals per game, his disruption has swung positive outcomes for the Pistons this season more than any player outside of Cunningham and Duren.
"It's going to come down to who does it more, who does it nastier and who does it longer," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the team's practice Saturday. "You're spot on with the similarities, but it's going to come down to war of attrition – who's mentally tough enough, who's physically tough enough to do it for 48 minutes and see what that looks like possibly seven times in a row."
A collapsed left lung on March 17 caused the Pistons guard to miss 11 games. The Pistons stayed afloat down the stretch, winning nine during his absence. He returned with a week remaining but was on a restriction, playing 26, 28 and 22 minutes in their final three games. Roughly a full month after the initial injury, Cunningham revealed Friday he isn't feeling quite 100% yet.
'I'm getting close but I don't think I'm back yet," he said. "Obviously I still have some things that I'm still trying to get back to full speed and just get my rhythm and everything back. I'm getting close. I'm just knocking a little bit of the dust off."
Duren, who made a strong case as the team's long-term No. 2 scoring option after averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65% shooting, will once again be leaned upon as Cunningham finds his rhythm.
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10. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks. Stats: 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists.The buzz: It hasn't been KAT's best year, with his scoring down over four points per game, but he's still a weapon on offense that stretches any defense. Look no further than what he did to the Pistons last playoffs, hitting big shots when it mattered most.
9. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors.Stats: 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists.The buzz: It's fitting Barnes is blocking a shot in his photo, as he's on the list for his overall play and not necessarily his scoring. Barnes is a vital piece of a Raptors squad that has overachieved, finishing fifth in the East. He gets a lot of credit for that.
8. Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons.Stats: 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2 assists.The buzz: The stats aren't as strong as KAT's, but they're close, which combined with the eye test, gives Duren the edge. The fourth-year big man has become an absolute force and constantly gives the Pistons a physical edge on both ends of the floor. He's still a work in progress, but his value to the Pistons is immense.
7. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks.Stats: 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists.The buzz: Breakout year doesn't do Johnson's 2025-26 season justice. He showed signs he could be this player last year, but played in just 36 games. With Trae Young shipped out, Johnson has taken the leap and shown he can be the best player on a good team.
6. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers. Stats: 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists.The buzz: Maxey gets better every years, and that's not an exaggeration. He's improved his scoring and assist marks each and every season and with a diminished (and often absent) Joel Embiid, Maxey carried the team for most of the year.
5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics.Stats: 21.8 points, 10 rebounds, 5.3 assists.The buzz: Fresh off arguably the most serious injury a basketball player can have, Tatum is already a top-5 player again in the East. His stats haven't reach pre-Achilles injury level yet, but if you didn't know about the injury and watched him play, you wouldn't even be able to notice. This is a projection he takes the training wheels off and is back to himself almost-fully for the playoffs.
4. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers. Stats: 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists.The buzz: In any given playoff game, Mitchell might be the best player. He's an unbelievable scorer and a good enough playmaker to keep you honest. If the Cavs make a run, Mitchell will be the engine driving them there.