標籤: Pistons

On Sunday, the Detroit Pistons’ best season in two decades came to a disappointing end in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Despite suffering a second straight series loss and taking a 3–2 lead in their best-of-seven against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit suffered a devastating loss at home in Game 7.

As disappointing as the end of their 60-win season was, the Pistons have a good young core and will be a force in the East for years to come. However, if they want to be taken seriously as title contenders next season, they will need to make some bold moves to improve the roster this summer.

If they can re-sign restricted free agent All-Star Jalen Duren to a new deal that isn’t close to max money, they will have to aim for more offensive punch on defense with the addition of top star Cade Cunningham.

Whether it’s a superstar, All-Star, or impactful role player, here are 10 players the Pistons should target this offseason.

CJ McCallum

The Atlanta Hawks found out how valuable graybird CJ McCollum can be after trading for him during the season. He emerged as a team leader and strong secondary scorer. During the playoffs, he became the leading scorer when Jalen Johnson buckled under postseason pressure.

The Pistons don’t need him to be a top scorer, but the 34-year-old could be perfect as another option behind Cunningham, and he should come at a reasonable rate in free agency.

afernee simmons

The Pistons need more offensive punch off their bench or next to Cunningham in the backcourt. Another interesting option would be Portland Trail Blazers veteran Anfernee Simmons. Although he bounced back a bit last season, the 26-year-old is a player who has averaged more than 20 points a game twice during his career and is a legitimate three-point threat.

Since his value is lower than it was a few years ago, Detroit may be able to get him for a much cheaper rate in free agency.

giannis antetokounmpo

There is no doubt that the Pistons will be linked to the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade chase this offseason. If healthy, the combination of Cunningham and the two-time NBA MVP could be a major problem for every other team in the East. And Detroit could certainly make a good business proposition.

However, the bigger question is, will Trajan Langdon mortgage his future to make such a bold move on an aging player who has developed real injury concerns?

norman powell

Eleven-year NBA veteran Norman Powell has quietly emerged as one of the better scoring forwards in the game after two seasons averaging over 21 points a game. The first-time All-Star is a free agent and will certainly get a nice raise this summer.

Powell would be a notable upgrade over Tobias Harris and would give Detroit a No. 2 scoring option that opponents should respect without giving up draft assets in a trade.

Michael Porter Jr.

Michael Porter Jr.’s seventh season in the league was a career-best year. As the No. 1 option for the Brooklyn Nets, he posted 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals a night. Staying healthy has always been the forward’s biggest issue, but he’s still only 27 years old and on an expiring contract.

Although he won’t come cheap and may be a rental, the trio of Cunningham, Duran and Porter could be finals contenders next season.

kobi white

If Langdon looks to build a deep roster around Cunningham and Duren, another free agent to keep an eye on is Chicago Bulls veteran Coby White. He is an impact scorer off the bench or in the starting lineup after averaging 15.4 ppg over his seven-year career. He’s only 26 years old, he should arrive at a reasonable rate, and he’ll be a very good veteran player this offseason.

Trey Murphy III

When casual fans think of the New Orleans Pelicans, they assume Zion Williamson is their top star. However, due to his injury problems, Trey Murphy III has emerged as the No. 1 scoring option in NOLA. But that hasn’t been good enough to bring them out of the bottom of the standings, which is why the Pelicans may consider a trade this summer as they continue their rebuild.

While it could cost him at least two first-round picks in a trade, if Langdon wants to move forward with a combination of Cunningham and Duren, the 25-year-old Murphy III could be a third of the title contenders in the next few years.

ja morant

If the Detroit Pistons are willing to be risky, two-time All-Star Ja Morant could be acquired without giving up any meaningful draft picks. That’s how much his value has diminished due to his trouble staying healthy over the last few years and being off the court during that time.

However, if any player could benefit from a change in landscape and get back to his typical ways, it would be Morant. If Detroit can keep the 26-year-old healthy and focused, Morant could help form the best backcourt in the NBA with Cunningham.

peyton watson

Denver Nuggets veteran Peyton Watson is going to attract a lot of interest in free agency this summer. The 2025-26 season was a success for the 23-year-old, as he posted just 15 points and five boards a night while shooting 41% from three.

If Langdon is looking for a third building block that he can develop alongside Cunningham and Duren, Watson would be at the top of his free agent wish list.

Domantas Sabonis

The sleeper target for the Pistons this summer could be three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis. The Sacramento Kings were unable to find a trade for him before the trade deadline and are certain to acquire him again this summer. However he is owed a lot of money and due to a torn meniscus his price will probably be nowhere near what it was a few seasons ago.

The combo of Sabonis and Duren in the front court for a few seasons, as they dominate the boards, will be an approach that former rivals will have difficulty coping with.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

A new rumor suggests that the Detroit Pistons are planning on making a move this summer that could ruin their roster for years.

On Friday night, the Pistons will be in Cleveland to avoid elimination for the fourth time in these playoffs and send their series with the Cavaliers to a Game 7. To be in this position again after earning the No. 1 seed in the East and barely avoiding the Orlando Magic in Round 1 is an amazing situation.

Still, that’s not the only surprising thing about this postseason for Detroit. Jalen Duren’s shocking disappearance in the first two series has confounded NBA analysts. After a breakout season that earned him first-ever All-Star honors and possibly an All-NBA berth, the center has been one of the players fans have looked to throughout the regular season.

His playoff numbers this year are worse than last year, when he got his first taste of NBA playoff basketball against the New York Knicks. Duren’s tremendous play has made it a difficult decision for the Pistons this summer when the 2022 first-round pick is a restricted free agent.

Will the Detroit Pistons be forced to give Jalen Duren a max deal?

Should they give him the maximum contract he will be eligible for? Most reports suggest this is not an option for Detroit. Still, according to a new report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it’s something they’ll likely have to do this summer.

An East executive told Windhorst, “He’s not a Max player, but they probably have to give him a Max.” “because now [cap space] Teams like Chicago or Brooklyn may see him as a guy they can get with a max offer sheet, and Detroit would have to match that.

Letting Duren leave in free agency could be a huge blow to a team that made so much progress last season. In 2024–25, he had one of the best turnarounds in NBA history and gave New York a run in the playoffs. Duren helped in this. Then in 2025-26, the big man played a huge role in helping them earn the top seed in the East and the third-best record in the NBA (60-22).

Max deal risk for Jalen Duren

Losing Duren could mean a significant step back in success. A case can be made that a max deal is worth the risk as he is still only 22, and his development may not be complete. But if he peaks and continues to be a liability in the playoffs, that contract could set the Pistons back years.

“One of the biggest mistakes you can make in the NBA right now is giving a max deal to a non-max player,” a West executive told Windhorst. “In the old system, you could bet on high-level talent. Now losing one big bet can derail your entire roster.”

In today’s salary cap system, if you’re going to have two players with max deals, you have to make sure they are the core of your roster, as this severely limits further roster movement and keeps you around or above the NBA’s tax apron.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Following their disappointing loss in Game 5, an NBA expert explains why the Detroit Pistons are upset, and the Cleveland Cavaliers will head to the Eastern Conference Finals after Friday night.

Pistone did not want to be in this situation again. In the quarterfinals of this year’s playoffs, the former No. 1 seed suffered a 3–1 loss in their series with the Orlando Magic. However, this mostly young team showed its mettle by battling back and defeating Orlando in a do-or-die Game 7 last week.

They then started their semi-final series against the Cavaliers with a decisive win. It seemed like the team that was so dominant during the regular season was back and performing better. However, over the past week, the wheels on the bus have worn off, and Detroit now finds itself on the verge of elimination after blowing a nine-point lead in the final minutes of Game 5.

It was one of the worst losses to the franchise in decades and may be looked upon with regret for years to come. Still, there’s reason to believe that after such a crushing loss the Pistons can circle the wagons again and force a Game 7 on Sunday. However, on Thursday morning, The Athletic NBA expert Zach Harper explained why Detroit fans should be very concerned.

Cade Cunningham has been good, but not great, against the Cavaliers

Detroit’s loss on Wednesday wasn’t just about a bad night or a bad few minutes. It was about the issues that have been going on for the last few weeks. Cade Cunningham had 39 points, nine assists and six threes in Game 5. Numbers that should lead to victory. But Harper pointed to a bigger problem with the Pistons’ top star at the moment.

“[Cunningham] Harper wrote, “There were six more turnovers, bringing their turnover total to 69 in 12 games.” He also noted Cunningham “fell asleep” late in overtime and allowed James Harden to get his rebound off a missed free throw. A mistake that couldn’t happen at such a crucial moment.

Then Jalen Duren continues to disappear. A player who had a big breakout season in 2025-26 has been a huge disappointment in the playoffs. In 12 games, he is shooting 50% from the field, down from 65% during the season, and scoring half as many points a night as he did in the regular season.

Yet, in Game 5, things reached a new low point as he played only a few minutes in the fourth quarter and was benched for the entire overtime. Duren is the reason the Pistons had a great regular season, and he’s the reason they’re likely to be out in Game 6 on Friday night.

Detroit Pistons didn’t get the best version of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5

What makes things seem more ominous as the series returns to Cleveland is that the Cavaliers didn’t get great nights from their top stars on Wednesday. While Harden had 30 points, 8 boards and 6 assists, he shot 8-21 from the field and committed six turnovers. Donovan Mitchell had 21 points on 18 shots.

If not for Evan Mobley’s 19 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, the Pistons would have won Game 5.

Detroit can certainly win on Friday night, but there are ample indications that Cleveland will go 7-0 at home in these playoffs and advance to the Conference Finals in Game 6.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

A new report suggests the Detroit Pistons are actually hoping big man Jalen Duren won’t earn All-NBA honors this season.

On Tuesday night, the Pistons begin their semifinal series against division rivals the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s the latest step in the franchise’s most productive season since going to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008.

Without a doubt, top star Cade Cunningham has played a vital role in the Pistons’ success this season. But second on the list of credits is center Jalen Duren. The 2022 first-round pick had a breakout season in 2025-26. Leading the team in rebounds (10.5) and second in points (19.5). His emergence as an All-Star is why they are the No. 1 seed in the conference.

Plus, his big season comes at the perfect time for him. He is in the final year of his contract and is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. The expectation for several months has been that the Pistons will match whatever offer they receive. However, the franchise has always been on the conservative side when it comes to spending. And when it comes to Duran there’s one place they’re not willing to go.

Detroit Pistons won’t pay Jalen Duren supermax

In a new report from ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, the pair of NBA insiders revealed, “If Duran is selected to the All-NBA team, he would become Supermax-eligible, which is an area the Pistons cannot venture into.” Cunningham is already playing on a supermax deal that will pay him an average of $55 million per year.

That doesn’t mean the Pistons aren’t willing to pay that type of money to two players. It’s probably more that they don’t want to pay Duran that kind of money, and they shouldn’t after a subpar performance in the opening round series against the Orlando Magic.

So what might be a good middle ground for both sides? A Western executive told Bontemps and Windhorst that a deal in the mid-$30 million per year is what Duren could get after a career year this season.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The second round of the NBA Playoffs ended on Monday night, with the New York Knicks earning an emphatic win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

This takes us to the NBA games today, with a Game 1 matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder. With two great bouts on deck, we’re making some predictions for each contest.

Donovan Mitchell downed 30-burgers

The Pistons will bring a level of physicality that could result in some game-to-game inconsistency for Donovan Mitchell. However, they do not have a standout defender like Scotty Barnes who can really cause problems for them. Mitchell averaged nearly 21 shots per game in the first-round series and we should see a similar amount in Game 1. We are projecting him to score over 32 points tonight, he will be the only Cavaliers player to score 20 points.

Detroit Pistons beat Cavaliers in Game 1

While Mitchell will do his best to help the Cleveland Cavaliers get a Game 1 win on the road, it’s going to be a one-man operation. Both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley will struggle with the physicality provided in Detroit’s frontcourt with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. We also see that James Harden had an outing in which he turned it over 7 times while making only four shots. It would be relatively close in the fourth quarter, but Detroit won it.

• Prediction: Detroit Pistons 116, Cleveland Cavaliers 108

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reaches 50 points

We think there’s a chance we’ll see a 50-point game tonight. The Los Angeles Lakers have no answer for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defensively. As highlighted by The Athletic’s Law Murray, SGA scored 83 points and shot 55.2 percent from the field against Los Angeles in the regular season. He’s willing to take more than 20 shots if necessary and it’s almost a lock that he’ll get to the free-throw line more than 10 times. In Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on national television, SGA scored more than 48 points.

OKC Thunder blow out LA Lakers in Game 1

With Luka Doncic out, it looks like this is the only one-sided matchup in the NBA Conference Semifinals. The Lakers are relying heavily on Austin Reaves, who is recovering from injury, and 41-year-old LeBron James to carry this team forward. It worked against Houston, but is not going to have any success against a Thunder team that is deeper, better coached and more well-developed. Playing at home in Game 1, Oklahoma City would effectively win. When it’s over, the only question will be whether the Thunder will have to deal with rust in the next round since it will be a short series.

• Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder 122, Los Angeles Lakers 95

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

In a surprising development, the 8th-seeded Orlando Magic continued their stellar performance to take a 2-1 series lead against the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons. The Magic got an excellent performance from Paolo Banchero with a near triple-double. The Pistons—who had never really been challenged in the Eastern Conference all year—were now firmly on their heels.

On Wednesday evening, the Atlanta Hawks will take to the road for a big game against the Detroit Pistons. This injury report includes Jalen Johnson, who is currently listed as questionable due to left shoulder inflammation. Here’s everything we know about Johnson’s injury and his playing status against the Pistons on Wednesday.

Jalen Johnson’s game status against the Pistons

Given his questionable designation on the injury report, there is currently some doubt as to whether Jalen Johnson will be able to appear in Detroit on Wednesday night. Johnson has missed the last two games for the Hawks due to illness and was seen wearing a sleeve over his left shoulder when he was on the court against the Houston Rockets last week.

Meanwhile, the Pistons have an injury report ahead of this matchup, with Cade Cunningham sidelined due to his collapsed lung, while Isaiah Stewart is also out with a calf strain. Marcus Sasser is questionable with a right hip strain, while Javonte Green is questionable with an ankle sprain.

Overall, the Hawks have been playing some better basketball over the past month, recently going on an 11-game winning streak, and then winning two in a row since that streak was snapped. Many of the wins have come against lesser competition, and even without Cunningham, the Pistons will present a very strong opponent for Atlanta, so they would certainly love to have Johnson back on the field and ready to go.

The Hawks are 0-3 against the Pistons so far this year.

In any case, tipoff between Atlanta and Detroit is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET from the Motor City. This game will be broadcast by ESPN.

As even the most optimistic and happy people in the world can attest, all good things come to an end. On Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers’ nine-game winning streak came to an end as they couldn’t overcome the dangerous Detroit Pistons 113-110 on the road despite the absence of Cade Cunningham. It was Dennis Jenkins who delivered the decisive blow, drilling a go-ahead liner from midrange to give Detroit a lead they would not relinquish.

Although the Lakers won’t be resting on their heels, this loss will at least give them time to think about what went wrong for them on the night and what they can do to make sure it doesn’t happen again. But for head coach JJ Redick, it was clear What LA lost on the night was that they were without two key players, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, to compete against the Eastern Conference leader.

“We’re a good basketball team. I believe we’re a good basketball team. Not being smart killed us tonight. It’s important for us to be healthy,” Redick said in his postgame presser, via LakersMuse on Ax (formerly Twitter).

JJ Redick says one bad game can’t undo what the Lakers have done recently:

“We’re a good basketball team. I believe we’re a good basketball team. Not being smart killed us tonight. It’s important for us to be able to get healthy.”

pic.twitter.com/ioAiMEDhEw

– LakersMuse (@LALMuse) 24 March 2026

That will be the number one goal for the Lakers moving forward: going into the playoffs with a full strength. Smart’s absence on Monday doesn’t appear to be a long-term thing, so at least this is a win for LA despite their losing streak on Monday.

Lakers outclassed by Pistons in clutch

The Lakers and Pistons both entered the night with 24 wins each by single digits, as they are two of the best clutch teams in the NBA. But even without Cunningham, the Pistons had plenty of time in crunch time, with Jenkins making it happen.

The Lakers have one more game left on their current road trip, which is a game against the weak Indiana Pacers, so this is at least a golden opportunity for them to start another winning streak.

For only the third time in his illustrious NBA career, LeBron James was held scoreless in the first half of a basketball game. The Los Angeles Lakers star missed all five of his attempts from the field and struggled overall, with the Detroit Pistons outscoring his team by 14 points during his 18 minutes of playing time.

Considering how high a scorer James is (he is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, after all), seeing him go scoreless can be a disturbing sight. But the Lakers star has saw his role changing Largely relative to his heyday, as Luka Doncic is now the undisputed number one scoring option for the purple and gold.

“This is the role I’m playing for the ball club. To win ball games, this is the role I’m playing. And that’s the way the game was going,” James told reporters after the Lakers’ 113–110 loss to the Pistons, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“This is the role I’m playing for the ball club. To win ball games, this is the role I’m playing. And that’s the way the game was going” – LeBron James on going scoreless in the first half for only the third time in his career and the first time since 2010 pic.twitter.com/W5HK2ThdPH

-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 24 March 2026

James is actually playing more of a supporting role, which suits him better than ever, considering he’s already 41 years old. And it’s safe to say that this change is working for the Lakers, as they entered the night having won nine consecutive games. What this simply means is that James is fully on board with what the team is doing, although he needs to be better than he was on Monday to recover from this situation.

The Lakers have hit their stride

The Lakers have now managed to get the most out of Doncic after he faced some difficulties sharing ballhandling and playmaking duties to start his life in LA after the blowout trade last year.

Doncic being so impressive (he shot 32-6-7 in the loss to the Pistons) bodes well for their chances of making some noise in the playoffs, but James getting up and running will be key to their title hopes.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ winning streak ended at nine games after losing 113-110 to the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Monday.

The Lakers rallied from a 16-point deficit to take a 110–109 lead after Austin Reaves’ jumper with 30 seconds remaining. However, Dennis Jenkins immediately responded with a bucket and two free throws.

Los Angeles still had a chance to win, but Luka Doncic missed a three-pointer.

The Lakers fell to 46–26, while the Pistons won their fourth straight game and seventh game in eight assignments to improve to 52–19. They still suffered a loss as Cade Cunningham was diagnosed with a damaged lung, keeping him out for a long period of time.

LeBron James admits the Pistons have didn’t miss a beat Despite Cunningham’s absence, as Coty Davis of The Detroit News reports.

“They’re super physical, super fast, they play well, they execute well, and they’re well-coached. No difference. I mean, obviously, the only difference is that you have an MVP-type caliber player out there,” James said.

“But when you have a really good team, guys step up. They can’t compensate for what Cade brings to the table because Cade is that guy, but other guys are stepping up.”

“Nobody…when you have a really good team, people step up.”

LeBron James speaks on whether it makes a difference playing against #piston With and without Cade Cunningham.

The Pistons are now 8-2 without Cunningham after their win against the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/OCpkZgvaLe

– Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) 24 March 2026

James did not score in the first half before finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.

Jenkins, who has played admirably for Cunningham, scored a career-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-5 from deep. He added four rebounds and eight assists.

The Pistons, who have already clinched a playoff spot, have others who could step up without Cunningham, including Marcus Sasser, Caris LeVert, Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green.

JJ Redick saw a ray of hope in LeBron James’ performance despite him not scoring in the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

James is playing the 23rd season of his famous NBA career, his eighth with the Lakers. Even at the age of 41, he remains one of the best veteran stars in the league.

However, he is also prone to cooldown strains during play. It was the same against Detroit as he posted six assists and four rebounds while going scoreless in the first half.

Redick reflected on James’ first half performance after the game. He described the outing as a selfless outing, trying to make the right play rather than forcing shots.

Redick said, “I thought he played a really unselfish game… I thought he not only tried to score, but did a good job making the right plays as usual and he got 10 assists.”

“I thought he played a really unselfish game … I thought he not only tried to score, but did a good job of making the right play as usual and he got 10 assists.”

Lakers head coach JJ Redick on LeBron James’ 0-point lead in the first half.

(via @nba)pic.twitter.com/pcOa7SsB5o https://t.co/kst5aliqve

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 24 March 2026

LeBron James, how the Lakers played against the Pistons

It was a quiet scoring night for LeBron James despite his stellar efforts. The Lakers still competed with the Pistons, even though they lost a close game 113–110.

Five players, including James, scored in double figures for Los Angeles in the loss. He finished the night with 12 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and one block. Luka Doncic led the team with 32 points and seven rebounds, Austin Reeves came next with 24 points and five assists, Deandre Ayton had 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaxson Hayes provided 11 points and four blocks.

Los Angeles fell to a 46–26 record on the season, maintaining third place in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, while trailing the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers will look to bounce back by remaining on the road in their next match. They will take on the Indiana Pacers as the tip-off takes place on March 25 at 7 PM ET.

LeBron James is actually the best scorer in NBA history, as he is the league’s all-time leading scorer in the regular season and playoffs. But there are no such things as certainties in the game of basketball. Even the Los Angeles Lakers star has a vacation from time to time, especially now that he’s 41 years old. And Monday night was looking like one such night.

On Monday, the Lakers faced a ferocious Detroit Pistons team and kept going at each other all night long. But James was obviously calm during the first half of the game. According to ESPN Insights on

Now, the good news is that James is no longer the alpha of the Lakers, he has handed over the offensive reins to the superstar that is Luka Doncic. But if the Lakers want to beat a tough Pistons team on the road, they will need to unlock more of James’ scoring.

James scored five points in the third quarter and now has seven at the time of writing with about eight minutes left in the final frame.

Lakers want to extend the winning streak to double digits

The Lakers have had tremendous performances over the past few weeks, as a result of which Doncic has raised his game and his team is following suit. They have won nine in a row heading into their game against the Pistons on Monday, and they have a golden opportunity to take that streak even further, given that Cade Cunningham is recovering from a lung injury.

The Lakers have to play one more game on their current road trip before returning home on Friday.

The Los Angeles Lakers come into their matchup with the Eastern Conference leaders Detroit Pistons with a lot of positives. They are currently on an eight-game winning streak and have enjoyed some great basketball from their offensive unit led by Luka Doncic.

However, his performance continued despite minor injury issues and the same appears to be true for the Detroit game. According to Benjamin Royer of the OC Register, both Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura are now scheduled to miss this contest, with Smart dealing with right ankle soreness and Hachimura dealing with right calf soreness. This comes on the heels of Luka Doncic’s one-game suspension that came as a result of his 16th technical foul in their recent win over the Orlando Magic.

However, it’s not only negative news for the Lakers, Maxi Kleber has been upgraded to available despite his back strain. Of course, the Pistons have their own injury concerns despite the current three-game winning streak.

Cade Cunningham suffered a ‘constricted lung’ during the Pistons’ win over the Washington Wizards and will be reevaluated in about two weeks. Marcus Sasser is out with a hip injury, while Isaiah Stewart is also recovering from a calf strain and will be out for the time being.

Nonetheless, even in Cunningham’s absence, Detroit looked comfortable in their win against the Golden State Warriors. Jalen Duren and Dennis Jenkins combined for 45 points against Golden State and will once again be expected to handle the offensive responsibilities.

The Lakers are in the middle of a six-game road trip and have won four games in a row. They have undoubtedly found their offensive rhythm with Deandre Ayton, showing a greater willingness to anchor the paint and run the floor for LA. Luka Doncic is in absolute form and is getting points with ease even on his off days.

He returned with 33 points in a win against the Orlando Magic despite going 12-30 from the field and 3-13 from the three-point zone. The Lakers’ attack will undoubtedly be tested in his absence, although they will be confident about their firepower even in the absence of the Slovenian international.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a big test coming up against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Monday, and they’ll have Luka Doncic in the lineup after his 16th technical was voided by the NBA. But the Lakers may have shortcomings elsewhere as injury reports surfaced on Sunday from key players like Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura.

Both Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura were listed as questionable on the Lakers’ injury report ahead of their upcoming game against the Pistons. Smart is dealing with right ankle soreness while Hachimura has right calf soreness. In addition to Hachimura and Smart, veteran big man Maxi Kleber is also questionable against the Pistons.

Smart missed the Lakers’ win against the Chicago Bulls on March 12 due to a hip problem, and he has been dealing with minor ailments throughout the season. But Smart has been one of the team’s most important players this season, along with Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

Smart has appeared in 60 games, including 53 starts, averaging a little over 28 minutes per game. He averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 39.9 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from the 3-point line and 81.6 percent from the free-throw line. Smart’s impact goes far beyond his shooting percentage, and he has been one of the league leaders in deflections.

Coincidentally, Hachimura was taken out of the starting lineup by Smart. He has been in a reserve role since returning from a calf injury in December.

He has appeared in 59 games, including 35 starts, at a pace of just over 28 minutes per game. He averaged 11.1 points and 3.2 rebounds with splits of 50.5 percent shooting from the field, 43.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 75.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The Lakers have won nine consecutive games against the top team in the Eastern Conference. They are currently the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings, and a full three games ahead of the No. 4 Houston Rockets.

Lakers star Luka Doncic will be out for the team’s next game against the East-leading Detroit Pistons. Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the year, meaning he faces a mandatory one-game suspension.

It looked like Luka Doncic and Goga Bitadze were exchanging words while Luka was shooting FT at the end of 3Q.

Another back-and-forth followed before both of them got up. https://t.co/gNBAwHYAAh pic.twitter.com/wAuNxxtzwl

– Khobi Price (@khobi_price) 22 March 2026

A technical foul occurred after an exchange of words between Doncic and Magic big man Goga Bitadze in the third quarter. Technical fouls were assessed on both players, placing Doncic on the number requiring suspension.

Although the technicality may have been overturned by the NBA, the moment draws attention to the conversation that has taken place between the six-time All-Stars throughout the season. Doncic has committed several technical fouls for arguing with officials, including in the Lakers’ 120–113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 5.

In post-game comments obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Doncic was clear about how he felt about the technical and advocated for a level of fairness in the officiating of the game.

“Just because I yelled at him, I guess. That’s what he said,” Doncic said of his moment with referee Ed Malloy on March 5. “But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and I didn’t get a technical. And that’s my problem, you know, I was trying not to talk at all. That’s the first thing I said – no warning or anything.”

Doncic’s suspension is significant as the Lakers look to test their status as contenders against the red-hot Detroit Pistons, who recently made the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive season.

The Detroit Pistons host the Golden State Warriors on Friday, and All-Star big man Jalen Duren is listed as questionable on the injury report. Duren has been dealing with right ankle pain, although he has not missed any games recently. LJ Cryer is likely on the injury report for the Warriors as he deals with a hamstring injury. Here’s everything we know about Jalen Duren’s injury and his playing status against the Warriors.

Jalen Duren’s injury status vs. Warriors

Given that Jalen Duren is questionable on the Pistons’ injury report against the Warriors, he’s likely to be a game-time decision. The last time Duren missed a game due to injury was on February 6. The No. 13 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Duren is in the midst of his career season. He was selected for his first All-Star appearance.

Duran has appeared in 59 games this season, averaging a little over 27 minutes per game. He averaged career highs of 19.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists while splitting 64.1 percent shooting from the field and 72.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

So when it comes to the question of whether or not Jalen Duren is playing against the Warriors tonight, the answer is to wait and see as it gets closer to tip-off.

piston injury report

-Cade Cunningham out (pneumothorax of left lung)
-Jalen Duren questionable (right ankle soreness).
-Kevin Huerter doubtful (right shoulder injury)
-Isaac Jones out (G League two-way)
-Bobby Clintman out (G League assignment)
-Wendell Moore Jr. out (G League two-way)
-Marcus Sasser out (right hip soreness)
-Isiah Stewart out (right calf strain)

warriors injury report

-Jimmy Butler out (right ACL surgery)
-LJ Cryer probable (left hamstring injury management)
-Seth Curry out (left adductor strain)
-Stephen Curry out (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)
-Al Horford out (right soleus strain)
-Moses Moody out (right wrist sprain)
-Quinton Post out (right foot injury)

The Washington Wizards face the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night and Trae Young is once again at the center of the injury report. He has been officially listed as out due to a right quad contusion, putting the Wizards’ key guard in focus as the team tries to break a brutal 13-game losing streak.

The Wizards enter the matchup at 16-52, No. 14 in the Eastern Conference, with their season essentially out of reach. Meanwhile, the Pistons are 49-19, ranked No. 3 in the West, looking to win consecutive games. Here’s everything we know from the injury report regarding Trae Young and his game status vs. the Pistons.

Even in limited action this season, Young has remained productive. In 15 games, he averaged 17.9 points, 8.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds. He’s also shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 82.5 percent from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Young has continued to run the offense and create opportunities for his teammates. However, Washington is still struggling to find stability on both ends.

Without him, the Wizards lose a primary playmaker. They face even less margin for error. That challenge only increases against a surging Detroit team.

Trae Young’s injury status vs. Pistons

What makes Young’s absence particularly glaring is the Wizards’ injury report. Bilal Koulibaly (foot) and Alex Sarr (toe) are both questionable, while Anthony Davis, Keyshawn George and Cam Whitmore are all out. D’Angelo Russell is not with the team and Leaky Black is also out of the team.

On the other hand, the Pistons are also struggling with injuries. Cade Cunningham (back) and Isaiah Stewart (calf) are out, while several players are unavailable due to G League assignments. Still, Detroit has maintained strong momentum behind its depth and execution.

Washington is simply trying to stop the decline. Detroit wants to stay sharp and stack wins. So when the question comes whether Trae Young is playing against the Pistons tonight, the answer is no. He has been officially dismissed. His absence adds another challenge for a Wizards team searching for answers. The season is also ending.

The Detroit Pistons are facing their toughest dose of adversity this regular season.

All-Star Cade Cunningham has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung after being pulled in the first quarter of his last game against the Washington Wizards. Cunningham was struggling for a loose ball when Wizards guard Trey Johnson jumped and landed on Cunningham’s back, causing the incident.

Detroit is just 14 games away from the regular season finale, and they will have to do so without their most important player for most of the games. ESPN reports indicate he is suffering from a minor lung problem.

While this is less than ideal for the Pistons, all hope is not lost for the former No. 1 team in the East. There are still reasons to believe Detroit can finish top of their conference. They have a slight 3.5-game lead over the Boston Celtics and could finish the regular season on top if a few factors fall in their favor.

Possibly Cunningham’s brief absence.

Cunningham’s mild diagnosis could be seen as the best-case scenario of this bad news for Detroit. Several scenarios can occur in response to the recovery of a collapsed lung. Sometimes, they may require surgery followed by immediate review, and no need for this has been reported in the case of pistons.

Detroit is expected to re-evaluate its starting point guard after two weeks of rest and recovery. The Pistons have been forced to play with mixed lineups for much of this season due to injuries, including Cunningham’s absence. In a seven-game span without Cunningham, the Pistons have gone 5-2 without him and averaged just under 112 points.

secondary scoring ability

The Pistons aren’t a better team without their All-NBA guard, but they have shown the ability to succeed without him. Head coach JB Bickerstaff has done a good job of giving his entire roster minutes to shine and fill in when needed for the Pistons.

The offensive dominance of their All-Star center Jalen Duren has been a major factor for the Pistons this season. Detroit is 20-5 as a team when Duren scores 20 points or more this season. The 22-year-old big man also thrives as a playmaker and contributes heavily by creating second-chances as an offensive rebounder.

Duren is currently the leading candidate for NBA Most Improved Player of the Year. A productive extension without Cunningham could significantly boost their awards case.

The Pistons will have to rely on their secondary playmakers to make up for Cunningham’s loss. Backup point guards Dennis Jenkins and Marcus Sasser have demonstrated their ability to be explosive scoring guards from all three levels. They are both solid passers who will need to create looks for their secondary shooters like Duncan Robinson, Tobias Harris, Kevin Huerter, Javonte Green and others.

The Pistons’ identity is largely based on their defense, which they typically rely on to create fast-break points. Detroit ranks third in fast-break points, averaging 18 per game this season. There are high expectations for their elite level defenders like Aussie Thompson and Ron Holland to help Detroit get the open floor.

Detroit has secondary scoring power off the bench. Their reserves rank ninth in bench scoring with an average of 41.1 points. The Pistons also play an unselfish style aggressively when sharing the ball, as they rank 12th with 27 assists per game.

strength of schedule

The final 14 games on Detroit’s schedule will be a significant test if they are forced to play a full game without Cunningham. Their strength of schedule currently ranks 15th in the entire NBA, middle of the pack.

The Pistons have done a great job of competing against the elite teams in the league. They have also made a conscious effort not to dilute their competitiveness when playing teams outside of playoff contention. Bickerstaff explained how important it is to disrespect the game by not disrespecting their competition, regardless of their record or available players.

The Celtics, ranked second in the Eastern Conference, have the seventh-highest strength of program. They currently face nine opponents who are currently in postseason contention in the East and West.

Bickerstaff is a leading candidate for the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year award. Similar to Duren’s Most Improved Player case, these circumstances could provide a big push for Bickerstaff to make his mark as the best coach in the league this season. The Pistons have had to deal with injuries to their roster throughout the season. If they can find a way to overcome the adversity of losing their best player, it will prove and cement just how much of a fight this franchise has under Bickerstaff.

Washington, DC – Washington Wizards/Monumental basketball president Michael Winger said on Jan. 22 that the organization will evaluate which young players will stick around long-term in the coming months, and second-year guard Bub Carrington showed why he should stick around on Tuesday. The 20-year-old scored a season-high 30 points (12-16 FG, 6-8 3-point) with four rebounds, two assists and no turnovers over 37 minutes in Washington’s 130-117 home loss against the Detroit Pistons.

Veteran forward Justin Champagnie told ClutchPoints after the game how Carrington has grown as a player since last season.

I asked Justin Champagnie last night how Bub Carrington has grown as a player since he was first discovered (thread):

“I think Bub is trying to learn his spots more. Starting to figure out when to shoot, when not to. When to be aggressive, when not to be aggressive. When… pic.twitter.com/KYEdtYxlmD

-Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) 18 March 2026

“I think Bub is trying to learn his spots more. Starting to figure out when to shoot, when not to shoot,” the 24-year-old said. “When to be aggressive, when not to be aggressive. When to turn the ball over, make the plays that have to be made. He’s diligent in his film work. I watch him do film before every game. I think he’s growing in those aspects. Gotta remember Bub is still young, like, 21 years old…I’m very proud of the growth he’s made this year.”

Carrington won’t turn 21 until July, but the rest of Champaign’s commentary track. The former Pittsburgh Panther is shooting 56.7% from the field (51.7% 3-point) with a 2.56 assist-to-turnover ratio in 25.9 minutes per game in March, which is a night-and-day difference from the rest of his season. For example, he shot only 36.4% (28.3% 3-pointers) with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio in February and 38.7% (34.6% 3-pointers) with a 1.76 ratio in January.

Carrington’s season-long numbers aren’t that different from his depth other than a 39.4% clip, which leads 2024 draftees with at least that many average attempts (4.9). The Baltimore native’s average three-point attempts also rank fifth in the class.

On the other hand, according to NBA Advanced stats, Carrington’s 14.1 turnover ratio is the third highest (minimum 20 minutes per game) and his -14.2 net rating ranks last. Luckily, Champagne gave him advice on how to deal with adversity.

“Stay the same… A lot of guys go through sophomore slumps… When shots aren’t falling and things aren’t going your way, what else can you do to make an impact and be the player we need?” When asked what advice he would give Carrington, he said. “I think he’s done a great job so far this year, I’m looking forward to seeing him continue.”

Spreading the ball around while limiting turnovers is one way Carrington can help the team when he’s not scoring. For example, the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder had eight possessions against just one turnover in Saturday’s 111-100 loss to the Boston Celtics. He only scored two points (1-2 FG) in 22 minutes, but still provided value.

It was a different story on Tuesday. Carrington looked as confident as ever, hitting a fadeaway midrange as well as a catch-and-shoot three Competitive layouts like The one below.

It’s hard bub 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/LWs05M0EGh

– Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) 17 March 2026

Carrington could stand to hit more contested layups, as he ranks 162nd among NBA guards with 0.5 paint touches per game as of Wednesday. If he gets to the rim more, he will draw more attention from the defense and open up space for his teammates, similar to fellow Wizard Trae Young.

It’s not realistic to reach Young’s level too soon, but it is realistic to build on Tuesday’s outing and show potential in that regard over the rest of the season.

Bub Carrington needs to prove valuable as a role player

It’s no secret that Washington’s youth center will be in a different situation next year and beyond. The acquisition of youth and star big man Anthony Davis this offseason signals an intent to get into the Eastern Conference playoff picture for the 2026-27 campaign, which is a far cry from the way things have been recently.

The organization has declined every year since winger and general manager Will Dawkins took over in 2023, which helped him land second-year big man Alex Saar and rookie guard Trey Johnson with the top six selections in the draft. If the season ends on Wednesday, it will gain another top-six selection in the draft with superstar prospects AJ DiBuntsa (BYU), Cameron Boozer (Duke), and Darin Peterson (Kansas).

This strategy puts player development above winning, allowing the young core to play through mistakes without the pressure of immediate results. But next year it will be difficult to get minutes for those players who will not help the team win.

There are no guarantees what the roster will look like next year, but Carrington can stake his claim as a long-term role player if he puts together a mix of performances like the Pistons and Celtics games the rest of this season. Whether the team needs him as a scorer or facilitator on some nights, if he consistently shows he can execute any job, it will be hard to sit him down.

Head coach Brian Keefe reported Tuesday that Carrington is learning “what he needs to do” each game.

“I think Bub had a good year. He really took over our second unit for a lot of the year, while our second unit was very positive for a long time,” he said. “He’s learned to control the game offensively. I like his physicality defensively, he’s gotten more interceptions as the season has gone on. And the shooting is right there as well.”

“Keep growing, and we will put our people in positions to learn and grow,” he added. “Tonight was great, he played a little off the ball. Sometimes he has the ball more, tonight he was a little behind. He was aggressive looking for his shot, and that’s what we needed him to do tonight. He’s learning what the game needs him to do. Some nights are different. Tonight, he was aggressive with his shot, and that was helpful for us.”

Washington has another home date with Detroit on Thursday before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

With Cade Cunningham firing on all cylinders throughout the season, the Detroit Pistons have emerged as a major force in the current campaign. They currently lead the Eastern Conference with a 49–19 record. A similar uptrend has been evident with the Toronto Raptors, who finished 11th in the East last season, but currently sit in 5th with a 38-29 record.

However, for former Toronto head coach Sam Mitchell, the Raptors may be even more talented than the Pistons, according to a post on X by Omar Osman, despite both teams’ current records.

Sam Mitchell says the Toronto Raptors may have more talent than the first-seeded Detroit Pistons overall 👀:

“You think about Cade Cunningham, who’s his second best player?”

“Look at the Raptors. You got Scotty Barnes and Bey. They’re your 2 best players.”

“You see… pic.twitter.com/zzr39iikJR

– Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) 18 March 2026

“You think about Cade Cunningham, who’s their second best player? Look at the Raptors. You got Scotty Barnes and BI. Those are your 2 best players,” he said during his appearance on TSN, citing the huge gap between the Pistons’ best and second best players.

This may be understandable since Cunningham is the only Pistons player averaging more than twenty points per game, with Duncan Robinson, who is going at 19 points per game, the only other player averaging more than 15 points a pop. In comparison, the Raptors have a more balanced offensive engine, with RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes averaging more than 15 points per game.

“You look at the center position. Jakob Poeltl and Duren? About the same. So if you look at this Raptors team, and you look at what players have accomplished on the Raptors, you can argue that the Raptors might be a better team in terms of talent than Detroit,” Mitchell concluded.

Of course, Mitchell has a point considering that the Raptors are hardly viewed as favorites to make it out of the Eastern Conference. Detroit has an offensive engine that relies heavily on Cunningham.

However, they still went 5-2 without their main man and fans will argue that their scoring is actually a result of the extremely physical bad-boys-throwback type of basketball they have adopted under JB Bickerstaff. This has resulted in an impressive 25-8 home record this season, which can only be expected to extend into the playoffs.

The Detroit Pistons are currently leading the Eastern Conference standings for most of the season behind the elite play of All-NBA talent Cade Cunningham. They’re on a revenge tour after being eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks last May, looking like the most dominant team in the East as the NBA playoffs approach.

With 15 games remaining in their regular season schedule and a 3.5-game lead over the Boston Celtics, six of those games come against sub-.500 teams as the Pistons hope to retain their No. 1 seed through the end of the year. This would ultimately pit them against the No. 8 seed in the East following the conclusion of the play-in tournament.

As things stand, potential first-round opponents for the Pistons include the Heat, 76ers, Hornets and Hawks, with teams like the Bucks and Bulls watching from the outside. Let’s take a look at best-case matchup scenarios for the Detroit Pistons for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Pistons’ 2026 NBA Playoffs – Dream Scenario

If the Pistons hope to avoid the New York Knicks in the playoffs once again, they are right where they need to be with the No. 1 seed and on the other side of the bracket. If the season ended today, the Pistons would face the winners of No. 9 Atlanta Hawks vs. No. 10 Charlotte Hornets and No. 7 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Philadelphia 76ers.

Between the Hornets and Hawks, the Pistons have held a perfect record against both teams in five meetings. They would face each team once more before the season ended and two of those five games would be won by double digits. While the Hornets have certainly gained some strength during this second half of the season, the games between Atlanta and Detroit were much closer in nature as the Hawks have a more consistent front court and defensive effort.

The Pistons have gone 3-0 against the Philadelphia 76ers this season, so they should meet in the first round, especially with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid sitting due to injury. The Miami Heat are actually the only team out of the four possible play-in selections to beat Detroit, most recently doing so on their home field in March. This will likely be Detroit’s last choice as an opponent for the first round pending any changes in the current standings.

Detroit’s path to the NBA Finals

Unless the Knicks fall in the standings before the end of the season, the Pistons will face the winner of the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the No. 5 Orlando Magic. The Pistons would face the Magic once again before the end of the season, leading the season series 2–1, earning both wins by double-digit margins. While the Magic have wins over them, Detroit is a much deeper team and could ultimately stifle Paolo Banchero’s production with their big men during a seven-game series.

The Cavaliers have been one of the Pistons’ biggest opponents this season, finishing their season series at 2–2, stealing a game by a double-digit margin on the road in Detroit early in the season. The Cavs also won the latest meeting during this past part of the season, so Detroit would benefit greatly from Orlando upsetting Cleveland and have a much easier matchup in the quarterfinals.

From there, the Pistons could face a team like the No. 2 Boston Celtics, No. 3 New York Knicks, or No. 6 Toronto Raptors if they are able to pull off an upset. Obviously, facing the lowest possible seed would benefit the Pistons the most, but eventually the time will come when they will have to defeat their biggest rival.

The Pistons are a combined 6-1 against the Knicks and Celtics this season, and are largely confident in their ability to win a seven-game series against any Eastern Conference opponent this season. They have gone 32-11 overall and 18-5 at home against Eastern Conference teams this season, so if the Pistons are able to clinch this No. 1 seed and continue their dominance in the NBA Playoffs, they should be the favorite to emerge in the NBA Finals.

MIAMI – The Miami Heat have had an important week in their effort to solidify their spot in the Eastern Conference, with momentum at its peak as the team extended its winning streak to five games in a 121-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Despite the Heat’s injuries to Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins, the team has been excelling on both ends of the floor, which has led to a positive change in the locker room, as noted by head coach Erik Spoelstra.

With only a few games remaining in the Middle East, Miami getting a convincing win over the conference-leading Pistons was a huge deal for the team, proving that the conversation of counting them out should be null and void. Since the goal is still to avoid the play-in tournament, Spoelstra would say how the team is “trying to take advantage of the moment right now.”

“We have our own motivations in what we’re trying to do, and Detroit has had its own season that will get everyone you know excited to compete against them,” Spoelstra told ClutchPoints. “You can sense that our locker room, you know, is just trying to seize the moment right now, have a lot of fun, compete with each other and play for a consistent identity on both ends. So it was a very strong week to finish, rest up tomorrow and then start planning for Tuesday.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about the Heat’s energy being evident in tonight’s win over the Pistons:

“You can sense that our locker room is trying to seize this moment right now…” #HeatNation

Full response: pic.twitter.com/THhrjAGPP3

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 9 March 2026

It marks the second time the Heat have defeated the Pistons, which started with the defense holding Detroit to just 16 points on Sunday. For Adebayo, “handling our business on the defensive end” is what leads to victory.

“We have beaten the number one teams in both conferences,” Adebayo told ClutchPoints, citing the Jan. 17 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. “It shows us we can compete with anyone… We’ve just got to do it on a consistent basis and keep handling our business on the defensive end. That’s why we’re actually winning games… It makes our offense easier.”

Bam Adebayo was asked what the win over the Pistons shows him at this point in the season:

“We’ve beaten both No. 1 teams in both conferences. It shows we can compete with anybody…just keep handling our business on the defensive end. That’s why we’re winning games…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/zWbKhjfe8p

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 9 March 2026

Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro focus for Heat after win over Pistons

Of course, as the Heat’s captain in Adebayo continues to make achievements, he and Tyler Herro are leading the team in this home stretch of the season, trying to bring a certain degree of continuity. As a result, the numbers look good on the surface as the offense is averaging 120.1 points per game (second in the NBA behind the Denver Nuggets’ 120.2) and fourth in defensive rating (111.4).

“I think we’re all tired of being in that midfield, and obviously, the road isn’t over yet,” Adebayo said after recording 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists in a win over the Pistons. “We’ve got to keep these winning streaks going. Got to keep piling up these W’s. Got to keep winning at home.”

Bam Adebayo asked if it was a coincidence that the team is on a five-game winning streak as he talked about no longer being in the play-in tournament:

“I feel like we’re all tired of living in that middle ground. Apparently the roads aren’t over yet…” #Heatnation pic.twitter.com/U9BuQZ7IGr

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 9 March 2026

If there’s one thing Miami has shown this season, it’s that they can win against the top teams in the league, but the same can be said about playing with a lack of competition, as Herro would echo the same sentiments.

“We’ve been saying this for years, we can beat anybody. We can lose to anybody,” Herro told ClutchPoints after leading the Heat with 25 points on Sunday. “So it’s just keep coming here, and just keep piling up the good days. It’s boring. It can be boring, but ultimately leads to wins and leads to a good thing.”

Tyler Herro talks about his performance after the huge win over the Pistons, asks him what this win means for Miami, and more: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/XKATC85b5n

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 9 March 2026

As a result, Adebayo and Herro have helped lead these collective wins, with everyone on the team contributing massively, like Jaime Jacquez Jr., Pelle Larsson, Kel’El Ware and others. At any rate, Miami looks to continue the winning streak and protect home court when the Washington Wizards visit on Tuesday night.

The Cleveland Cavaliers won a hard-fought win against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night without their star Donovan Mitchell. The 113-109 win on Tuesday night came just days after the Cavs lost the game 122-119 in overtime against the Pistons on Friday night.

Jaylon Tyson led the Cavs in Tuesday’s win, scoring a team-high 22 points to go with his three rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a game-high five three-pointers in 32 minutes of play. It was a strong night for Tyson, but the Cavs forward received a minor penalty after the game ended.

On Wednesday morning, Cavs forward Jaylon Tyson was assessed a $2,000 postgame flopping fine in league review for flopping on Cade Cunningham’s drive. The Pistons guard moved his hand slightly to avoid Tyson, but the Cavs forward made contact and ran backward, which is why the NBA is imposing a flopping fine on him.

Cavs forward Jaylon Tyson has been fined $2,000 for a game flop following a league review.

This play involved Cade Cunningham in last night’s game against the Pistons. pic.twitter.com/KjnRIUA4n8

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 4 March 2026

In addition to the flopping penalty, Tyson has also committed two technical fouls this season, resulting in a $2,000 fine each.

While the idea of ​​penalizing players for flopping is a popular idea that was introduced years ago, it has become relatively unused over the past few seasons and has led many to wonder what the difference is between what Jaylon Tyson did and what, for example, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic does on a nightly basis.

How come Nikola Jokic was never fined for flopping? https://t.co/2xAgFzzYAH

– BGB♛ (@BonesGotBizzy) 4 March 2026

The joke flops WAAAY more than it gets credit for pic.twitter.com/sXIi8nQk8i

– Outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) 22 April 2025

Jock doesn’t get enough respect for being one of the greatest floppers of this generationpic.twitter.com/P1Bp31icqQ

– NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) 26 December 2025

In his second season in the NBA after being selected 20th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Jaylon Tyson is averaging 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three. Tyson recorded a career-high 39 points on January 16 against the Sixers, shooting 13 of 13 from the field and 7 of 9 from three.

The Cavs will have a few days off to recover and prepare for their upcoming back-to-back sets against the Boston Celtics on Sunday night and the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night and Donovan Mitchell is once again at the center of the injury report. He has been officially listed with a right groin strain, putting the Cavaliers franchise star in focus as Cleveland looks to win back-to-back games and solidify its position in the Eastern Conference.

The Cavaliers enter the matchup at 38-24, No. 4 in the East. Meanwhile, the Pistons are the No. 1 seed in the conference and are aiming to extend a three-game winning streak after defeating the Cavaliers 122-119 on Feb. 27. With both teams striving for speed late in the season, Mitchell’s availability is big.

Mitchell continues to be Cleveland’s offensive engine whenever he is on the field. Through 55 games, he has averaged 28.5 points, 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per contest, while shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 36.9 percent from three and 85.2 percent from the free-throw line. He also contributes 1.6 steals per game and puts consistent pressure on the opposing backcourt. His scoring gravity reshapes defensive coverages and opens up clean looks for teammates.

When Mitchell plays, the Cavaliers operate with pace and structure. Without him, shot creation becomes more committee-based, and late-game execution can tighten.

Donovan Mitchell’s injury status vs. Pistons

The Cavaliers’ injury report extends beyond Mitchell. Darius Brown and Riley Minix are out on G League two-way assignment. Max Strus is sidelined after having surgery on his left foot for a Jones fracture. Dean Wade is questionable with a right ankle sprain.

On the Pistons’ injury report, Isaac Jones and Wendell Moore Jr. are out on a two-way deal, while Bobby Klintman, Chaz Lanier and Tolu Smith are questionable while on G League assignment.

Still, Mitchell’s absence matters most. Detroit, sitting on top of the East, will see this as an opportunity to protect home court and continue building separation. Meanwhile, Cleveland will have to prove it can maintain its momentum without its leading scorer.

So when the question comes whether Donovan Mitchell is playing tonight against the Pistons, the answer is no. A right groin strain will keep him sidelined, forcing the Cavaliers to make adjustments as they pursue back-to-back wins against the East’s top team.

The Orlando Magic have struggled with inconsistency all season, and it all starts with the leadership of Paolo Banchero. Banchero has moments where he looks like a millionaire and he’s figuring out how to be a superstar in the association, but there are also some nights where some of his bad habits come to the fore. That’s what happened in Sunday night’s 106-92 loss to the East-leading Detroit Pistons.

Banchero had 24 points on only 10 field-goal attempts, so he got to the foul line a lot, which is a testament to how aggressive he was in getting to the basket. However, the Magic Stars were more careless than aggressive in some of their plays. They turned the ball over nine times, which is a straight-up death sentence against a Pistons team that tries to physically overwhelm any opponent that comes their way.

after the game, banchero is owned As for some of his missteps, he expressed his frustration at playing below the standards set for himself.

“I thought we had a lot of turnovers. You know, I had a lot of turnovers. Yeah, we gave them a lot of chances. I think it was some bad passes. I was trying to pass it to my teammates when maybe I should have just shot it,” Banchero said, per Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.

“Some of them – a trip, a repeated call, just a bad night. Last game, I had no turnovers. This game, I had nine. So, very frustrating.”

“I thought we had too many turnovers. You know, I had too many turnovers,” #magical Forward Paolo Banchero accounted for Orlando’s 19 turnovers, of which he committed nine.

He added: “Last game, I didn’t have any turnovers. This game, I had nine. So, very disappointing.”

Full Comments: pic.twitter.com/1zmk0zybnc

-Jason Beede (@therealBeede) 2 March 2026

Magical battle for position in the east

If the season ended today, the Magic would once again be fighting for their lives in the play-in tournament. This will be the second consecutive season they have struggled to qualify for the playoffs, and it’s a bit disappointing considering how they went out and acquired Desmond Bane in a blockbuster.

Franz Wagner’s injury hasn’t helped, but overall, the Magic have fallen short of expectations this season with a 31-28 record.

Detroit Pistons fans are excited about their team’s potential playoff success after Friday night’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Detroit is enjoying a strong campaign as one of the best teams in the entire league. They picked up an overtime win over Cleveland, which continues to hold its place in the East standings with back-to-back games.

Fans came in large numbers to react to the game and were positive towards a win, expecting a better performance. Here are some of their reactions.

One fan said, “Great win! Both teams advanced. The Cavs were missing Donovan Mitchell and a few others while our Pistons are still missing Isaiah Stewart.”

“I didn’t enjoy going to OT against a shorthanded Cavs team. But… at the same time we enjoyed the win even though we were shorthanded. Boys fight when it counts. And those who play hard get the wins. #DetroitBasketball,” another commented.

One commented, “Celebrate the wins, but hang on. Every dub is proof that opportunity came with preparation. Stack ’em up, stay humble and keep building the scoreboard, it only tells part of the story. The work continues.”

“What a comeback victory,” one replied.

One fan said, “The win came and JB benched LeVert for Sasser, I prayed for times like this.”

How did the Pistons play against the Cavaliers?

Pistons fans can expect more from their team after defeating the Cavaliers. Nonetheless, the playoff bar remains high for them.

Five players scored in double figures for Detroit in the win. Jalen Duren dominated with a performance of 33 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. He shot 11 of 19 from the field and 11 of 15 from the free-throw line. Cade Cunningham finished second with 25 points and 10 rebounds, Ausner Thompson had 18 points and eight rebounds, Ronald Holland II put up 12 points and three rebounds, while Tobias Harris provided 11 points and six steals.

Detroit improved to a 44–14 record on the season and topped the Eastern Conference standings. They are 5.5 games up on the Boston Celtics and seven games up on the New York Knicks.

The Pistons look forward to their next matchup while on the road. They will face the Orlando Magic as tip-off takes place on March 1 at 6 PM ET.

KNThe Cleveland Cavaliers will need less time for their showdown against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Friday as star guard James Harden has been sidelined with a thumb injury, according to the team. Harden was the Cavs’ major trade deadline acquisition in hopes of making a jump in the East standings and making a push into the postseason.

James Harden initially suffered the injury during the Cavs’ win against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, and has been sidelined since. Shortly after the Cavs traded for the former All-Star guard, the team won five consecutive games before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder last weekend.

The Cavs lost 118-116 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday with Harden out due to injury. Overall, the Cavs have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games, and are currently in fourth place in the East standings. They are 37-23, and only a half-game behind the No. 3 Knicks.

Since the deal, Harden has appeared in seven games at a rate of just over 32 minutes per game. He averaged 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists with splits of 49.4 percent shooting from the field, 48.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 86.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line. It’s a small sample size, but if those field goal and 3-point shooting percentages hold up, they’ll be career highs for the 17-year veteran.

Before the trade, Harden had spent the previous three and a half seasons playing for his hometown LA Clippers. He was acquired by the Clippers in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers at the beginning of the 2023–24 season.

NBA Hall of Famer Ben Wallace supports the comparison between himself and Isaiah Stewart, further validating the young forward’s emergence during the Detroit Pistons’ standout season.

In a recent interview with ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, Wallace addressed several parallels between his Hall of Fame career and Stewart’s evolving role in Detroit’s frontcourt.

“I definitely see it,” Wallace said.

Stewart, 24, is having one of the most accomplished stretches of his career. In 48 games and 13 starts, he has averaged 10 points, 5.1 rebounds, a career-high 1.7 blocks and 1.1 assists, while shooting 54% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range in 23.3 minutes per game. His impact has helped Detroit reach an NBA-best record of 43–14.

Comparisons focus primarily on defensive intensity and physical presence. Despite being undersized for a traditional center, Wallace made his legacy as one of the league’s most dominant defenders. A four-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Star, Wallace anchored Detroit’s 2004 championship team and became synonymous with the franchise’s gritty identity. His rebounding, rim protection and tireless energy defined the era of Pistons basketball.

Isaiah Stewart credits Ben Wallace’s path for growing mutual respect

Stewart acknowledged the connection.

“He paved the way for us guys to be smaller,” Stewart said. “I’m trying to live up to that and keep my name in this organization in a positive way.”

According to ESPN, the mutual respect between the two goes beyond public comments.

Watching the respectful exchange, a source who knows Wallace well summed it up:

“Ben looks at Stewart like a proud father.”

As Detroit continues its rise to the top of the standings, Stewart’s development remains central to the team’s identity. Wallace’s endorsement reinforces the belief that Stewart’s defensive growth and physical style is up to the standard set by one of the franchise’s most iconic players.

Not long ago, the Detroit Pistons were looked down upon by the rest of the NBA. Cade Cunningham led his team to only 54 combined games in his first three seasons in the league, and the organization was not even close to being a threat in the East.

Even other teams were mocking the Pistons, with Kyle Kuzma famously saying that no one “wants to be that team” after the Pistons lost their 28th consecutive game during the 2023–24 season, which remains the longest losing streak in NBA history. That was the lowest level for this organization, but times have changed a lot.

Now in his fifth season, Cunningham has led the Pistons to new heights, and the team is currently on pace to not only surpass the 54-win mark in the young star’s first three years in the NBA, but also win at least 60 games for only the third time in franchise history.

The Pistons made the Eastern Conference Finals both times they won at least 60 games in a season, the most recent being 20 years ago in 2006. Although Detroit fell just short of reaching the NBA Finals that season, they did win a championship during the 1988–89 season, a season in which they went 63–19 overall.

This season, the Pistons are following in the footsteps of their past, as they currently hold a strong hold on the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings and have earned the right to call themselves the team to beat en route to the NBA Finals when the playoffs begin.

Although there is still a lot of basketball left to be played and many factors can change not only the standings, but every team’s chances of capturing a championship, one thing has remained consistent throughout the season with this Pistons team only growing and getting stronger.

When it comes to playing the best of the best, the Pistons have established themselves as the best in the NBA.

Pistons are dominating specific teams

There is always more than meets the eye when it comes to a team’s record. Often, fans will only look at wins and losses to determine how good certain organizations are over the course of the year, and while this can obviously hold some significance, what each win or each loss means and to whom it paints a clear picture of which teams are championship contenders and which are not.

Well, the Pistons are clearly title contenders this season, and it’s not just because they have won more than 75 percent of their games this season and remain on top of the East standings. It’s not even because of their recent wins over the New York Knicks or San Antonio Spurs.

When you really dive into the numbers and break down each of the Pistons’ wins this season, it becomes clear that they have battled against the best teams in the NBA and found success against each of them.

The Pistons have gone 19–7 against teams with winning records this season, the best record against teams over .500 in the NBA. For context, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 19-11 overall, and the Spurs are 21-11 against teams above .500 this year.

In fact, Detroit has wins over seven of the other top 10 NBA teams so far this year. The only teams in the top 10 that the Pistons have not yet defeated are the Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who Detroit has yet to face.

In terms of the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama and his crew recently pulled off a hard-fought 114-103 win in Detroit, proving they are just as good as the Pistons and potentially seeing them on the road in June with everything on the line. Before we even think about it, these two teams will meet again in a highly anticipated clash on March 5 in San Antonio.

As far as the Pistons’ record is concerned, winning 73 percent of their games against teams with winning records speaks volumes. After all, it’s not like they’re beating the worst teams in the league.

This young team has been challenged and tested, yet they have overcome almost every obstacle thrown at them during the 2025-26 season. The Pistons are a resilient group that understands what it takes to overcome adversity, and most importantly, they embrace each trial and tribulation that comes their way.

Aside from only losing back-to-back games twice this entire year, the Pistons always look forward to marquee matchups like the one on their schedule right now. After games against the Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pistons now look forward to two games against Cleveland, a tough road game against Orlando and then the final regular season matchup in San Antonio.

Although their first game against the Spurs did not go as Cunningham and the Pistons expected, this team is willing to accept and overcome adversity.

“We’ve had a week full of smoke,” Cunningham said, via the Detroit Free Press, after Monday’s loss to the Spurs. “It’s great. We get to see where we are, see where the league is, learn a lot in these three games, five games, even the last few games we’ve played have all been good challenges for us. There’s been a lot to learn from all these games. I think we’ll come out of all of this better and more prepared for the playoffs and everything.”

“It’s good, it’s healthy for us.”

Being a championship-contending team doesn’t necessarily mean you have one of the best records in your conference or league at large. A team is defined by the quality of its wins, and the Pistons have clearly proven that they have what it takes to beat the best of the best.

Fool them once, but not twice

Aside from consistent success against the top teams in the league with all of their wins and some of their losses, the Pistons have something unique this season.

Only one team in the league has beaten the Pistons twice this season, and it’s a team they won’t see again until the 2026-27 season, as they face them twice a year. The LA Clippers defeated Detroit both home and away this year, holding the Pistons to under 100 points in both contests.

It is worth noting that the Pistons were without Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and almost all of their veteran contributors in the second meeting between these teams on January 10, a game Detroit lost 98–92.

No other team in the league can say that they haven’t lost at least two games to multiple opponents this year, which is another reason why the Pistons are so unique. What all this means is that JB Bickerstaff has a young, hungry team that has grown together over the last few years, and they are finally putting the pieces of the puzzle together on their way to success.

Regardless of what happens on their schedule, the Pistons play every game like it is Game 1 of a playoff series, which is why this chip on their shoulders will only lead to success in the future.

“Our guys respect everybody and want everybody to do their best,” Bickerstaff said recently. “No matter who the opponent is, our people always look forward to those challenges.”

Cade Cunningham’s MVP-like season

A team’s record matters. Their success against some of the other great teams in the league matters. But at the end of the day, every Championship organization always has a player they can refer to Man.

For piston, that Boy Cade Cunningham is here, and he has taken a huge step forward in his career to become one of the best guards in basketball. Honestly, just saying that doesn’t give Cunningham enough credit, as he has become one of the best players in the entire NBA, which is why he currently sits atop the MVP rankings alongside Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and others.

At this rate, it’s not hard to believe that Cunningham can surpass these other stars and win the 2025-26 NBA MVP award.

Believe it or not, the Pistons technically own the best record in the league with a 75.4 winning percentage, and Cunningham’s MVP resume will only grow if that comes true and Detroit remains on top of the standings.

As far as his production goes, Cunningham’s numbers and his impact on wins speak for themselves.

Cunningham recorded four consecutive double-doubles during his 42-point, 13-assist night as the Pistons defeated the New York Knicks 126-111 at Madison Square Garden. After this special performance, Bickerstaff made it clear that his star deserves the most respect in the MVP race.

Bickerstaff said, “I don’t think you pick an MVP based on just one game or one statement. He’s been that way for the entire season.” “He dominated at both ends of the field and influenced the win in a big way.

“Credit to him, credit to his work, credit to his conditioning, his will to win, his ability to be a great teammate and lead. He’s been like that all season long.”

The Pistons have beaten the best, and the scary thing for every other team in the league is that Detroit is better now than they were in the first game of the season.

By the time the playoffs begin, the Pistons will be ready for the challenges ahead of them, and if any team in the East has the best chance to win 12 playoff games to reach the NBA Finals, it is the Pistons.

It seems like just a few years ago San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson was a wide-eyed rookie out of Kentucky. Now, he is Spurs’ longest-tenured player, providing toughness and leadership.

They proved it again when they visited the Detroit Pistons on Monday at Little Caesars Arena.

Things turned sour in the second quarter when Pistons guard Cade Cunningham knocked Spurs guard Stephen Cassel to the floor. Johnson came forward and nudged Cunningham, saying a few words to him.

Pistons center Jalen Duren entered the field and pointed the finger at Johnson. Luckily, before it escalated further, cooler heads prevailed. full dispute. Johnson and Duren were both whistled for technical fouls.

Keldon Johnson and Jalen Duren received technique after this conversation

Cade Cunningham was called for an offensive foul for the initial push on Stephen Castle.

pic.twitter.com/ClIliygbSP

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 24 February 2026

As expected, tensions were high between the two top NBA teams, especially since it was their first meeting.

While Spurs have other players older than him, the 26-year-old Johnson has taken on a big brother role on the team. He has taken Victor Wembanyama under his wing, even shaving his head, to help his young teammate develop and transition to the NBA.

Johnson has progressed in coach Mitch Johnson’s first full year, averaging 13.4 points, 54.5% shooting and 5.7 rebounds off the bench. He is a strong candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.

At the time of writing, there is still a close battle between the Spurs and Pistons in the third quarter.

Cassel had 12 points, two rebounds and seven assists, while Johnson had six points and two rebounds.

It cannot be denied that the San Antonio Spurs have an elite talent in Victor Wembanyama. Everyone knows this, and he constantly reminds the NBA world what an incredible player he is.

He did it again in the first quarter of Monday night’s showdown between his Spurs and the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, when he made a big defensive play to deny the home team a bucket from deep.

With 1:49 left in the first period and 2.1 seconds remaining on the Pistons’ shot clock, Detroit forward Ronald Holland II received an inbounds pass and looked like he was open for a 3-pointer from the right side. However, Vembanyama used his mobility, athleticism and length to not only trouble Holland but also block his shots.

And with that shot rejection, Wembanyama has finally checked all the boxes when it comes to recording a block against every NBA team.

Victor Wembanyama refuses to give Ron Holland a corner 3

This is Wembley’s first interception on any Pistons player in his career.

The Spurs star has now recorded a block against every team in the NBA!pic.twitter.com/GWtvttyd3L

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 24 February 2026

The 22-year-old Vembanayama is undoubtedly one of the best – if not the best – defensive players in the NBA. He can defend all positions and is a legitimate threat to protect the rim. A two-time NBA block leader, Wembley entered the Pistons game leading the league with 2.7 blocks per contest in the 2025–26 regular season.

With his rare blend of size, length and agility, two-time NBA All-Star Wembanyama is a capable defender near the rim or outside the perimeter, which he clearly demonstrated with that block on Holland, who likely would have missed that shot if another player was guarding him.

The Chicago Bulls will host the New York Knicks on Sunday evening. Bulls guard Anfernee Simmons has had his injury report dismissed. Simmons left the Bulls’ game against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday and did not return. Here’s everything we know about Anfernee Simmons’ injury and his playing status against the Knicks.

Afro Simmons injury status vs. Knicks

With Simmons out due to injury, the Bulls will be shorthanded against the Knicks. He suffered a wrist injury during the first half of the Bulls’ loss to the Pistons and was ultimately ruled out for the remainder of the game. The Bulls are coming into their game against the Knicks looking to snap an eight-game losing streak.

As things stand, the Bulls are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference standings and two games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the No. 10 seed and the final play-in spot.

Simmons was one of the Bulls’ trade deadline moves, acquiring him with the Boston Celtics in a deal that sent longtime Bull Nikola Vucevic to Boston. The Celtics also sent a second-round pick to the Bulls as part of the deal.

Since the trade, Simmons has appeared in six games for the Bulls, including five starts in just over 28 minutes per game. He averaged 15.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists with splits of 43.8 percent shooting from the field, 32 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 100 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

oxen injury report

-Jack Collins out (sprained right toe)
-Noah Asengue out (left shoulder surgery)
-Jaden Ivy out (left patellofemoral pain syndrome)
-Nick Richards doubtful (right foot soreness)
-Anfernee Simmons out (left wrist sprain)
-Patrick Williams probable (injured left hand)

knicks injury report

-Pacom Dadiet out (G League assignment)
-Miles McBride out (pelvic core muscle surgery)
-Kevin McCullers Jr. out (G League two-way)
-Mitchell Robinson out (left ankle injury management)

The New York Knicks made a strong comeback against the Houston Rockets and won. He displayed serious composure, which was in question in the previous defeat. Additionally, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson both played incredibly well – something that could have been expected on a regular basis early in the season, and yet something that hasn’t been seen nearly enough. But while the win should inspire optimism, the reason for the pause is the Detroit Pistons.

New York played a great fourth quarter in its recent win against Houston. They finished the game on a 33–13 run, which included Brunson’s 18 points. The Knicks also held the Rockets to 28% shooting in the final 10 minutes of the game. And their defense, led by new addition Jose Alvarado, forced several changes.

The Knicks have played well against more top teams than the Rockets. The Knicks have performed incredibly well against most of the league’s top competition this season. They are now 1-0 against Houston, 2-1 against Boston Celtics, 2-0 against Cleveland Cavaliers, 1-0 against Denver Nuggets, 1-0 against Los Angeles Lakers and 1-1 against San Antonio Spurs.

However, they have struggled mightily against the Pistons, a team they will likely see in the 2026 playoffs. In fact, New York is 0-3 against Detroit on the season, and their next matchup is scheduled for (much) later in the season.

Are the Pistons too tough for the Knicks?

The Pistons present completely different problems for the Knicks than other elite teams. First of all, there is their physicality Very To struggle. Detroit boasts the NBA’s second-best defensive rating (108.3). His size is challenging on the downside. Jalen Duren is eighth in the league in rebounds (10.5 per game), and Isaiah Stewart is sixth in blocks (1.2 per game). Ironically, neither Duren nor Stewart were available for the Pistons’ most recent win over the Knicks on February 19.

Pistons also push the limits of materiality and efficiency. According to Statmuse, he leads the league in fouls per game (22.3). And why not? When your team is built like Detroit, the only disadvantage in fouling is a penalty. Agreed, this is not ideal. But the cumulative effect of fouling results in a reputation bump that forces teams to think twice about how they attack open lanes.

The piston perimeter protectors are also exceptionally strong. Cade Cunningham and Auser Thomson are two of the best at blocking opposing perimeter players. And both are physical enough to compete with bigger wings in the post and around the basket.

It became clear that New York couldn’t match Detroit’s toughness while remaining focused and locked down.

Can the Knicks offense be consistent enough to take down the Detroit Pistons?

If the Pistons are a more physical team, which they are, the Knicks should emphasize their strength, finesse, and finesse. This is how New York defeated Detroit in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Brunson took the lead. And for all the Pistons’ defensive abilities, they had no answer for Brunson when he was in his own zone and protecting the basketball.

In the 2025 playoffs, Brunson averaged 31.5 points and 8.2 assists per game. His footwork and finesse were on full display, including a series-clinching shot. If the Knicks are to be successful against the Pistons, Brunson will need to get back to that kind of game.

In the 2025–26 regular season, Brunson scored the ball very well, averaging 29.7 points per game. But he also turned the ball over. Very. Brunson averaged five turnovers per game in their regular season series against the Pistons, compared to just 2.6 turnovers per game in last season’s first round – and 2.3 turnovers per game the entire season (so far) this season.

Knicks supporters also need to do more. Towns and OG Anunoby missed the second of three games with the Pistons this season. But when he played he did not perform well enough. Towns averaged 13.5 points over the two games, and Anunoby averaged 6.5 points per game.

Granted, there are more failings to highlight – like how the Knicks crushed on the glass – but the simple fact is that when their second- and third-leading scorers add up to an average of 20 points per game, the Knicks are unlikely to perform well.

Fortunately, the Knicks have time to digest their recent loss against the Pistons and lick their wounds. New York has 25 games remaining before the playoffs, and their first-round rematch with Detroit is unlikely. That matchup will likely come later in the playoffs. So, the Knicks have some time to figure out how to approach the Pistons. But one thing is for sure, he has his work cut out for him.

On Saturday, the Chicago Bulls suffered their eighth consecutive loss, falling to the Detroit Pistons 126–110. Despite this, Josh Giddy, who is Recently coming back from a hamstring injuryAchieved a lot.

In this process, Giddi joined likes According to Alyssa Bergamini of 670 The Score, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic are one of only eight players to accumulate 300+ rebounds and 300+ assists this season. Other players include Doncic, Jokic, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Deni Avdija, Scottie Barnes and Julius Randle.

Overall, Giddy finished his second complete game with 27 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Additionally, he took 10 wickets for 16 runs from the field. Additionally, he recorded his seventh 25+ point game this year, a career best and leading the team in that category.

Giddy played 21 minutes against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. He came out with 5 points, five assists and four rebounds. Giddy made only 1 of 6 shots from the field as Chicago lost to the Raptors, 110–101.

Giddy has played 35 games this season and is averaging 18.2 points, 8.7 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game. As a result of the loss, Chicago is now 24–33. The Pistons are now 42-13 and have the best record in the East. On Sunday, the Bulls remain at home to take on the New York Knicks.

Next Tuesday they play at home against the Charlotte Hornets. A game in which Giddy’s former teammate, Coby White, will return After my business with Charlotte. After that, the Bulls will conclude February with a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, February 26.

On Saturday, the Chicago Bulls faced the Eastern Conference’s best team, the arch-rival Detroit Pistons, at home. A game in which Josh Giddy and Trey Jones were back in action and healthy Recent battle with hamstring injuries.

In the first half, the Bulls kept pace with the powerful and overall healthy Pistons. During the second quarter, Giddy, Jones and Isaac Okoro worked together Quite a game to execute, according to the Chicago Bulls. With the Bulls trailing by four, 45-41, Giddy caught the ball at the other end. He laughed it off even to Jones. Then, Jones delivered a no-look bouncer to Okoro, which ended with a layup.

This play is by Giddy, Trey and Isaac 😮‍💨#marine red | @CHSN__ pic.twitter.com/5aHd13Y5mj

– Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) 22 February 2026

Chicago entered Saturday’s game on a seven-game losing streak. Their record is 24-32, while the Pistons are 41-13. Giddy played his second complete game since returning from injury.

He is averaging 18.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Jones is averaging 12.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He is also playing his second full match after recovering from injury. Additionally, Okoro is averaging 9.0 points per game and shooting a respectable 46.7% from the field.

since the bulls made seven dealsThey have been surrounded by guards. Apart from these three, there are also Matas Buzzelis, Rob Dillingham, Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simmons and Collin Sexton. Therefore, there is very little playing time among these people.

On Sunday, the Bulls will play their second consecutive home game against the New York Knicks.

New York – The New York Knicks have a complicated relationship with the Detroit Pistons. The young Pistons group completed their 2026 regular season sweep of the Knicks on Thursday night, bringing both teams back to similar circumstances from last season, which culminated in a first-round playoff win for New York. However, team captain Jalen Brunson no longer wants to rely on last year’s results.

“It’s a new year,” Brunson told reporters at Madison Square Garden after the Knicks’ 126-111 loss.

The young Detroit group, led by a jumbo playmaker and consisting mostly of serious specialists in defined roles, is reminiscent of the New York squad led by Julius Randle. But, to borrow Jay-Z’s paradox in his early 2010 rap masterpiece, Brunson has helped transform these nicks from “underpaid” to “overrated” in recent years.

It is believed that New York is closer than ever to the championship. But Cade Cunningham’s Pistons are lovable underdogs who upset the NBA hierarchy with surprising road wins. And on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks contenders were caught at the beach.

The Pistons were missing Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both of whom were suspended after a fight with the Charlotte Hornets. It didn’t make much difference to Cunningham. His 42-point, eight-rebound, 13-assist performance overshadowed Brunson’s 33 points, six rebounds and eight assists on 60% field goal shooting.

Detroit’s regular season success did not help them in last year’s playoffs against the Knicks. But these pistons seem to work with larger cylinders. The proverbial engine of their offense, Cunningham, has leveled off. With this he can take his teammates to even greater heights.

The Knicks have work to do before the end of the season if they want to repeat last year’s playoff results against teams like the Pistons. They have reached the required heights many times, but often step back after reminding themselves that they can do the same.

Bridges ends another close game on the Knicks bench

Thursday’s loss to the Pistons was another close game that Mikal Bridges watched from the bench. The Knicks made only eight of their 35 attempts from behind the 3-point arc, with only four different players getting shots to fall. Brunson and Landry Shamet were the only two Knicks to score more than one, each knocking down three times during the 15-point loss.

Two of the 3-pointers made by Shamet came in the last eight minutes of the fourth quarter, when he was on the court in place of starter Mikal Bridges. It’s important for the versatility of the Knicks’ scheme that starters like Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns don’t mind being benched in favor of red-hot role players. But head coach Mike Brown said Shamet closed out on Bridges because the team needed to score. It wasn’t a strong endorsement of the two-way wing who signed a four-year, $150 million extension with a player option for the 2029-30 season.

“Landry hit some shots. We needed to score. They’re both really good guards. And so I stayed with Landry. But it wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I’ll sit Mikal because he’s not doing that, or he’s not doing that.’ We were looking to score points. And Landry was the only guy to make a shot from behind the arc, the coach said through some nervous laughter.

A key part of the Knicks’ journey this upcoming postseason will be striking a balance with respect to the participation of their star players — and what they bring to the table in games where shots aren’t being funneled their way. While the Browns made it clear that the late-game benching was not Bridges’ fault but a situational adjustment, it is on Bridges to give the coaching staff no choice.

Bridges did not ask to be traded for five first-round picks. He didn’t force the Knicks to offer him $150 million and a player option. But the ball is in the 29-year-old’s court as to how he chooses to respond to this adversity. His confession after the game in Toronto was a great start. New York can’t afford to be this outlier.

The Boston Celtics started the season with a lot of questions about their ability to compete with the best teams. The injury to Jayson Tatum and the resulting massive turnover of players meant that the Celtics were not even seen as a playoff contender by many.

However, so far they find themselves in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 36–19 record, and the addition of Nikola Vucevic has only improved. His impressive performance also led to some high praise from an unexpected source, with Blake Griffin naming Boston when asked about the team with the fewest weaknesses in the East.

When Blake Griffin was asked @NBAonPrime Pointing to the Celtics on which team in the East has the fewest weaknesses: “That might be the team that has the fewest questions.”

Udonis Haslem feels similarly: “To me, the Boston Celtics have the best habits of any team in the NBA.”

Rudy…

– Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) 20 February 2026

“This might be the team that has the fewest questions,” Griffin said on Amazon Prime, according to a post on X by insider Taylor Snow, with the rest of the crew also naming the Celtics in the segment.

“To me, the Boston Celtics have the best habits of any team in the NBA,” Udonis Haslem claimed, before Rudy Gay explained how Vucevic has single-handedly solved their ‘problems’.

And that praise is also worthy. Despite only playing three games so far, the Montenegrin big man has averaged 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists, with the Celtics immediately relying on his interior scoring and floor spacing.

Of course, much of the credit for this also goes to Joe Mazzulla. Despite massive changes in personnel, the Celtics have employed the same high-velocity playing style that continues to get results.

With the offensive leadership of Jaylen Brown (29.3 points) and the possibility of Tatum still playing a role at the business end of the season, the Celtics look capable of emerging as title contenders once again. Derrick White and Peyton Pritchard are both averaging 17.2 points per game, and the addition of Vucevic gives this team another offensive outlet and solution in games where they struggle to score from inside, instead relying heavily on distance shooting.

There’s no doubt that this new-look Celtics team is still capable of producing some big results.

The New York Knicks could not unseat the Detroit Pistons in the 2025-26 NBA season.

On Thursday, the Knicks again failed in their mission to pick up a win at the expense of Detroit, as they lost 126–111 to the visiting Pistons. This was New York’s third loss against Cade Cunningham and Co. this campaign, which also means they have lost this regular season series.

Each of Detroit’s losses was a double-digit blowout. The first meeting in Detroit ended with a score of 121–90, with the Pistons defeating the Knicks 118–80 in the second meeting.

Given how the Pistons have misbehaved in New York this season, it appears that the Detroit Knicks will have their biggest nightmare in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

But for Knicks newcomer Jose Alvarado, New York’s outlook in the postseason, if it meets the Pistons there, is not as discouraging as it seems.

“The playoffs are a completely different ballgame,” Alvarado said after the game (h/t Knicks Video). “We’re not going to sit here and say, ‘Oh, they beat us in the regular season…’ We’re not thinking like that.”

Still, it’s clear that the Pistons are a big thorn in the side for New York.

The Knicks eliminated Detroit in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, but the Pistons have since become one of the best teams not only in the East but in the entire league. At this point in the season only the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder have more wins than Detroit, improving to 41–13. The Knicks, on the other hand, fell to 35-21.

Last week, the San Antonio Spurs waived Jeremy Sochan less than four years after selecting him with the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft. He was considered a key member of the franchise’s future, but as time passed and his younger teammates moved on, the former Baylor standout became stagnant and eventually fell out of the rotation. Now, he’s welcoming the opportunity the New York Knicks (35-20) are giving him in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign.

Before making his debut with his new team in Thursday’s highly anticipated battle against the first-place Detroit Pistons (40-13), the 22-year-old forward sported a knickerbockers-inspired, blue-and-orange hairstyle via ClutchPoints. Sochan has been fighting for some minutes and is therefore at least somewhat frustrated, but the sentiment shows how excited he is to play for this organization.

Jeremy Sochan rocks blue and orange hair ahead of his Knicks debut pic.twitter.com/Xi4rIkSmb8

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

The Polish-American who was born in Oklahoma and raised in England is more in tune with New York culture than most people might imagine. He brings energy and defensive intensity, two qualities that fueled the Knicks during the 1990s and 2000s. Sochan could provide vital frontcourt depth and allow head coach Mike Brown to keep his core players fresh.

Furthermore, he still has time to develop into an impactful NBA contributor, and team president Leon Rose believes that process could potentially coincide with New York’s 2026 playoff run. The 2022 Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year could see his free agency value increase significantly if he helps the Knicks advance to the NBA Finals for the first time this century.

Jeremy Sochan averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 28.7 percent from 3-point land in 212 games with the Spurs. The future is uncertain, but he’s incredibly grateful to have a fresh start in The Big Apple. The top of his head clearly illustrates that point.