Pistons clinch playoffs
The Detroit Pistons officially clinched a playoff spot as the regular season heads into its final stretch — a major moment for a franchise that’s rebuilt rapidly this year (sundayguardianlive.com). The clinch reshuffles late‑season seeding narratives and raises stakes for teams jockeying in the East (sundayguardianlive.com).
The clinching win came March 20 at Little Caesars Arena, a 115-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors. (sports.yahoo.com) Jalen Duren led Detroit with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting and six rebounds, while Daniss Jenkins started for Cade Cunningham and finished with 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. (sports.yahoo.com) Cade Cunningham missed his second straight game after being diagnosed with a collapsed lung and the team said he will be out at least two weeks. (nbcsports.com) Detroit reached 50 wins on March 19 with a 117-95 road victory over Washington — its first 50-win season since 2007–08 — and moved to 51-19 after the Warriors game. (espn.com (espn.com)) The victory made Detroit the first Eastern Conference team to lock up a postseason spot this year, and the Pistons now sit four games ahead of Boston with 12 regular-season games remaining and 13 games clear of Atlanta with 12 to play. (nba.com (freep.com)
