The physical title contending of the Detroit Pistons - Why Motor City is the most serious threat in the East

Can they match the OKC Thunder?

The Detroit Pistons are certainly one of those teams that have taken control of their respective conference through brute force. Led by Cade Cunningham as the main figure of a team that was fighting to avoid the worst record in the history of the NBA a few years back, Detroit basketball is back in the main scene, following the path of previous title-contending teams in the Motor City.

Detroit ranks 3rd in opponent points per game and 1st in blocks and steals, being at the same time a top-10 team in rebounding and points per game through the 2025-26 NBA campaign.

Their defensive identity fits like a glove with Cade Cunningham’s offensive dominance this season as they climb to the top of the Eastern Conference. More importantly, the Pistons made a true statement on March 31, forcing a close game against the titleholders, OKC, without Cade Cunningham on the floor.

Cunningham remains sidelined with an injury, but at the same time, Detroit has been forcing teams to surrender even without their superstar, leaning to the same ethos that led to championships in the past.

Length, mobility, and motor

With Cunningham out, Dannish Jenkins, Tobias Harris, and Ausar Thompson took over the mantle creatively. Especially Jenkins, who is the main offensive initiator, registering 19.0 points and 7.3 assists while posting only 2.9 turnovers despite high usage in the previous 9 games.

With Jenkings on the floor, the Pistons are producing a net rating of 11.3 points per 100 possessions during that span. Moreover, they are posting a defensive rating of 107.3 points with the undrafted guard out of St. John's running the point.

At the same time, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson are two menacing figures on both ends of the floor, cutting through the paint and dominating inside the three-point line. Their length and mobility are one of those things that put Detroit in the same sentence as the OKC Thunder.

In this 9-game span, Duren and Thompson are the players with the most minutes alongside Jenkins, forming a formidable triangle of playmaking, physical play, and defensive ferocity. That way, the Pistons can retain their motor and attack their opponents using their deep bench without losing their base.

Watching the video, you can see how the Pistons’ team is putting offenses in the torture chamber. They are putting pressure on and off the ball, they do not lose a step being able to chase opponents inside and outside the three-point line, and they are deep enough to keep playing aggressively for the full 48 minutes.

This is the reason they can match against OKC, being the only team that did it effectively alongside the San Antonio Spurs this season.

In those 9 games without Cunningham, the Pistons showed why they should be considered title contenders. They won 7 of those, ranking 5th in defensive rating (105.6) while outscoring opponents by 10.6 points per 100 possessions.

Questions about the postseason

While I don't see how the Detroit Pistons will not make a deep playoff run, questions remain for the young and gritty Motor City. Can they keep their composure in win-or-go-home basketball and keep their regular season momentum going?

The answer to the question, for me at least, is positive despite being young. Defensive-oriented teams with enough talent on the offensive side are bound for deep playoff runs through the past seasons.

OKC is the prime example; however, the same can be said for the Boston Celtics, the Minnesota Timberwolves, or other teams with impressive postseason performances the past seasons.

Cade Cunningham will also be back at full health by the time the playoffs start, and while Detroit will face some feisty opponents in the East, in my opinion, they are in shape to push their own boundaries and dream big as one of those teams that have the tools to compete against physical titans like OKC or San Antonio.