The Detroit Pistons hold the league’s longest win streak and they are becoming one of the teams to fear in the NBA.
Despite winning 12 in a row, the Pistons are still slotting in at No. 4 in NBA.com writer John Schuhmann’s power rankings.
“The Pistons have won 12 straight games and they’re now healthier than ever, with Jaden Ivey making his season debut and Tobias Harris returning from a nine-game absence over the weekend,” Schuhmann wrote.
“The Pistons have played six of the other nine Eastern Conference teams that currently have winning records, with the three exceptions being the Heat, Knicks and Raptors. An NBA Cup meeting with Toronto could be in the cards, but they’re not scheduled to face New York and Toronto until Jan. 5 and Feb. 11, respectively. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they visit the Heat on Saturday.”
Detroit Pistons guard Caris Levert drives against Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims. | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Pistons stalling in power rankings despite win streak
The Pistons trail the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets in the power rankings as all three have been incredible in the arguably tougher Western Conference.
The Pistons are making the most of their win streak, which has built them into a top team on both ends of the floor.
“Overall, the Pistons’ point differential (that of a 10-4 team) doesn’t quite match their record, but they’re now one of six teams that rank in the top 10 on both ends of the floor, ranking sixth offensively over the course of their winning streak. Their effective field goal percentage of 73.1% in Milwaukee on Saturday was the second-highest mark in franchise history (highest in the last 31 years),” Schuhmann wrote.
The winning streak has also come with several players injured, which has forced the depth of the team to step up. With players beginning to make their return, the Pistons will have some interesting lineup changes to consider soon.
“With Ivey and Harris making their returns on Saturday, and with players like Daniss Jenkins, Javonte Green and Paul Reed earning continued playing time over the winning streak, the Pistons used 12 players in the first half in Milwaukee,” Schuhmann wrote.
“It will be interesting to see how the rotation eventually thins out and if Ivey eventually replaces Duncan Robinson in the starting lineup. Robinson has shot 43-for-91 (47%) from 3-point range over the winning streak, though the Pistons have outscored their opponents by only 4.8 points per 100 possessions in his 150 total minutes alongside Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren.”
What’s next for Pistons?
The Pistons will look to extend their streak to 13 games when they take on the Indiana Pacers. Then, they head to TD Garden to face the Boston Celtics before Thanksgiving, where they will return home for a Black Friday NBA Cup game against the Orlando Magic.