Detroit Pistons Hustle Stats Define 2026 Breakout Season

No. 2 in Fastbreak Points

It's a skill on its own to be able to suddenly recognize and intercept passing lanes. To be able to pick pockets and snatch steals from unsuspecting ball handlers is a tough skill to master on its own. It's a completely different art to turn those turnovers into points consistently.

It takes a group of players who have the mindset and the motors to constantly be aware of every scoring opportunity, but it takes the right voice of reason and leadership to rev up those motors.

The Pistons sit behind the Toronto Raptors averaging 18.6 transition points. The Raptors have done well in transition as well with 19.2 fastbreak points per game. Forwards like Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland and guards like Cade Cunningham and Javonte Green have done a great job of moving quickly after turnovers.

No. 1 in Points in the Paint

MVP candidate and All-Star starter Cade Cunningham has been the driving force of Detroit's efficiency inside the paint. Cunningham's ability to take contact with ease when starting a drive from the top of the court or when manipulating the defense across the baseline draws gravity and demands more attention from defenses.

When defenses collapse on Cunningham, he does a great job swiftly finding a leaking cutter or a big man on the block. Now, Dario Saric will be able to pop out to the three-point line after setting screens on Cunningham drives, which is something Cunningham hasn't had much of this season.

Jalen Duren deserves a lot of credit for Detroit's 57.3 points in the paint per game this season. Duren has really come into his own as a scorer and he's figured the best ways to utilize his athletic 6-foot-10 frame. He's also an intelligent pick-and-roll partner and lob threat.

Duren knows exactly when to settle somewhere for Cunningham to continue the offense or when to cut hard and leap high for an alley-oop.

No. 2 in Fouls Drawn

The Pistons have earned the fouls they've drawn this season. Cunningham has led an aggressive offense and Duren has anchored a relentless defense inside. While the Pistons are a team that absorbs contact well on both sides of the floor, the relentless playstyle of Detroit Basketball comes at a price. The Pistons are also No. 1 in personal fouls per game.

Detroit fouls teams 22.5 times per game, but also draws 22 fouls per game in return.

Detroit shoots the second-most free throws per game, but allows the most free throws per game. It's a ratio the Pistons can live with for the rest of the regular season because it's clearly led to a winning formula. The ratio should be balanced out a bit more and they should implement a slightly more disciplined gameplan defensively while still maintaining the tenacity and relentlessness they play with before the playoffs.