Pistons are first East team to clinch playoff spot

The Detroit Pistons became the first team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff spot after they defeated Golden State on Friday.

Detroit, which was playing without star guard Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung) and backup center Isaiah Stewart (calf strain), received key contributions from several players in the win. Jalen Duren (a team-high 23 points in 21 minutes), Daniss Jenkins (22 points, eight assists, seven rebounds) and Ausar Thompson (career-high seven steals) were among the standouts.

The Pistons improved to 51-19 with the victory. They currently have a 4.5-game lead over Boston for the top seed in the East (the Celtics are playing at Memphis at the time of this post).

The Thunder and Spurs, the only teams ahead of Detroit in the standings, both clinched spots in the West earlier this week.

No matter what happens the rest of the regular season, the Pistons can finish no worse than the sixth seed, which guarantees a playoff berth. They’re in a strong position to finish first, though their remaining schedule is pretty difficult.

2025/26 continued a dramatic turnaround in Detroit, which had the worst record (14-68) in the NBA just two years ago. The Pistons improved by 30 wins last season, going 44-38 en route to the sixth seed and a first-round playoff loss to New York. They have a chance to win 60-plus games this season.