Getty
Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons.
The Detroit Pistons dominated the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center in what might be a potential first-round playoff matchup. The Pistons were in control from start to finish and made history before the end of the regular season.
Still without Cade Cunningham, it was another total team effort for the Pistons in their 116-93 win. Tobias Harris led the way against his former team, finishing with a team-high 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting.
Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins each scored 16 points, while Ausar Thompson added 14 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Tyrese Maxey had 23 points for the Sixers, with Paul George contributing 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. They played without Joel Embiid, who was still not cleared to play in back-to-back games this season.
NBA Announces Historic Pistons News
The NBA announced after the Pistons’ victory that they have officially clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. J.B. Bickerstaff and his team will have homecourt advantage until the conference finals.
It has been a huge turnaround for the Pistons after just two seasons under coach Bickerstaff. They had only 14 wins with Monty Williams during the 2023-24 NBA season before making the playoffs last year, their first appearance since 2019.
It’s a historic feat for the Pistons franchise, as it’s their sixth time clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The last time they were atop the East standings entering the playoffs was in 2007, when the team consisted of Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Chris Webber and Antonio McDyess.
However, getting the top seed isn’t a guaranteed championship for the Pistons. They won the title twice, in 1989 and 1990, as the No. 1 team in the East but failed in 2003, 2006 and 2007.
According to the NBA, the Pistons are also the sixth different team to be the No. 1 seed in the East in the last six seasons.
Cunningham Injury Update
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – MARCH 12: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons looks on in the second half while playing the Philadelphia 76ers at Little Caesars Arena on March 12, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan.
The Pistons have played without Cunningham, their best player, since March 19, when he was diagnosed with a collapsed lung. He has missed the last eight games, but the team hasn’t missed a beat. They are 6-2 without Cunningham, with both of their losses coming in overtime and a combined margin of five points.
Duren has taken his game to the next level, acting as a playmaker from the post at times and taking control of the offense. Jenkins has filled in admirably for Cunningham, averaging 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 8.0 steals per game.
But when will Cunningham return to the lineup? ESPN’s Jamal Collier reported on Thursday that the Pistons superstar will miss one more week. He could be ineligible to win any awards this season since he’s sitting at 61 games played.
The Pistons have four games remaining on their schedule, and they have an opportunity to win 60 games for the first time since 2006. They face two potential first-round opponents, the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets, and two losing teams, the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers.
Juan Paolo David Juan Paolo David is a sports journalist covering basketball for Heavy. He has a decade of experience writing about the NBA and WWE. He’s currently based in the Philippines. More about Juan Paolo David
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