Pistons Lead NBA Standings
The Detroit Pistons sit atop the NBA standings alongside Oklahoma City Thunder as the league resumes Thursday after All-Star break. Detroit's turnaround is credited largely to Cade Cunningham's leadership and a new defense-first culture, marking one of the most dramatic improvements in recent NBA history.
- The dramatic improvement comes after the Pistons finished the 2023-24 season with a 14-68 record, the worst in franchise history. Just four years ago, the team had its worst record ever at the All-Star break. - New head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, hired in July 2024, has been credited with instilling the team's defensive identity. Under Bickerstaff, the Pistons boast the NBA's second-best defensive rating at 109.2. - Center Isaiah Stewart has emerged as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, ranking sixth in the league in blocks while playing just 22.5 minutes per game. - Alongside his leadership, Cade Cunningham is having a career-best season, averaging 25.3 points and 9.6 assists per game. He also leads the NBA in potential assists at 19.5 per game, a measure of how many of his passes lead to a shot attempt. - The Pistons have been remarkably resilient, posting an 11-2 record in games following a loss and avoiding any losing streak longer than two games. - Detroit has excelled against top competition, compiling a league-best 17-6 record against teams with a .500 record or better. - The team's immediate schedule is challenging, featuring a road game against the New York Knicks before home matchups with the Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. - The franchise has not won a playoff series since 2008, and this season marks the first time they are expected to host a Game 1 of a postseason series since then.
