By George B. Eichorn
Playoff basketball is back downtown as the Detroit Pistons earned the right to face the New York Knicks
in the first round of the NBA’s post season.
Only one post-season – in 2019 – have the Pistons hosted a playoff game at Little Caesars Arena. They
were swept 4-0 by the Milwaukee Bucks that included two home losses. One has to go back 17 years
when Detroit last one a playoff game and a playoff series.
Just like their neighbors at Comerica Park, the baseball Tigers, it’s a been a long wait. The Tigers you
recall turned the baseball world upside down with a dash to the finish line last October clinching a wild
card playoffs berth and defeating the Houston Astros 2-0 in a best-of-three series. The Cleveland
Guardians defeated the Tigers, 3-2, in a best of five MLB Divisional Series.
The Lions have been to the playoffs two straight seasons 2023 and 2024, winning two games (over LA
Rams and Tampa Bay) in ’23 and losing to Washington last January after a stellar 15-2 regular season.
Only the hockey Red Wings are stuck in reverse having not qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs since
2015-2016 season when they lost a first-round series to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1.
The Pistons are a remarkable story going from a horrific 14-win season one year ago to winning 44 and
losing 38 this season. The club is seeded sixth in the Eastern Conference while first-round opponent New
York is seeded third. It’s not exactly David versus Goliath but darn close!
“A good many 3-6 series don’t carry as much intrigue as this one,” said NBA writer Shaun Powell. “That’s
because, although the Knicks bring experience and the heftier expectations, the Pistons — who won the
season series 3-1 — are plucky and have nothing to lose. This is house money for a young team that won
just 14 games last season, a chance to announce its arrival with an upset, or chalk it up to a valuable
learning experience if it loses.”
Led by all-star guard Cade Cunningham (26.1 points per game), NBA Sixth Man of the year contender
Malik Beasley (shooting 41.3% from the 3-point arc) and talented center Isaiah “Beef Stew” Stewart, the
Pistons have a chance at the upset.
The series could well become a chess match between the head coaches – J.B. Bickerstaff of the Pistons
and John Thibodeau of the Knicks. Primetime TV slots seem likely as the series opens Saturday, April 19
at 6 p.m. on ESPN and FanDuel Sports. Game 2 will also be in the Big Apple. The Pistons host Games 3
and 4. A Game 5 would be in New York, Game 6 in Detroit and Game 7 in New York.
The Pistons own three NBA World Championships and the Knicks two. Cleveland and Boston own the
top two seeds in the East.
Reach George Eichorn at [email protected] or @Sandgsports99 on X/Twitter.
