Detroit Pistons Break 7-Year Trend With Win vs Blazers

The Detroit Pistons haven't cracked .500 in years.

Jan 6, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives the ball up the court against Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) in the fourth quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

It’s no secret the Detroit Pistons have been one of the Eastern Conference’s bottom feeders for quite some time. Last year, they hit rock bottom after finishing the 2023-2024 NBA season with a 14-68 record.

After revamping the front office and changing up the coaching staff, the Pistons hoped that they would only go up from there. Many expected the Pistons to be better, but they just might be more competitive than they were getting credit for earlier in the season.

Heading into Monday night’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pistons had three wins in a row with a 17-18 record.

Despite facing a Western Conference rebuilder in the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pistons had a tough time putting away Chauncey Billups’ squad.

But when it was all said and done, the Pistons took care of business. By the end of the night, Detroit collected a 118-115 victory. The Pistons advanced to 18-18 on the season and snagged their fourth win in a row.

The Pistons are at .500 in the month of January for the first time since 2018. pic.twitter.com/zit3ioN22K

— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 7, 2025

For the first time since 2018, the Pistons are .500 in January. With their win over Portland, the Pistons had a chance to move two spots in the Eastern Conference rankings.

Sitting in eighth place, the Pistons are tied with the Atlanta Hawks, who don’t have the advantage in a tie-breaker currently. The Indiana Pacers are next in line, with a 19-18 record. They are half a game out in front of the Pistons for the time being. Indiana is currently on a winning streak as well, collecting victories in seven of their last ten and picking up three straight.

Jan 6, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) tries to knock the ball away from Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham’s Statement on Detroit’s Record

Since Cade Cunningham has joined the Detroit Pistons, he’s been involved in a lot of losing. The former No. 1 overall pick entered one of the toughest situations in the NBA for a young player, who was immediately given the keys to a franchise.

On a personal note, Cunningham had his flashes, but he was going uncredited since his team consistently lost as a historic pace. This year, the tables are turning. Cunningham is in the All-Star conversation as an early top-ten vote-getter. A lot of that has to do with Detroit’s early success.

“I appreciate it a lot. It’s taken a lot of work from everybody. So, to be at this point right now, it feels good. A lot of games left, but this is a huge moment for us. I think it’s only something we can build on,” Cunningham told reporters on Monday night after the win over Portland.

Cade: "Lot of games left, but this is a huge moment for us and it's something we can build on." pic.twitter.com/RS5ca2HiwY

— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) January 7, 2025

Prior to Monday’s game, Cunningham was averaging 24 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds in 31 games. It’s clear the step taken by Cunningham has been a game-changer for this version of the Pistons, but his teammates—old and new—have been major as well.

Before going down with an injury, Jaden Ivey was having a career-high season in scoring and efficiency. Malik Beasley has been one of the sharpest high-volume shooters in the NBA.

While Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr have come at a pricey cost, their veteran presence has been a difference-maker for a young Pistons squad. It’s unclear how far the Pistons can take themselves this season, but they’ve been in Play-In contention for most of the year. If they can keep it up, they just might be in the running for some form of postseason play for the first time in years.