The Pistons are on such a roll that they are starting to resemble Detroit’s last championship team.
In fact, this season’s Pistons team has already matched the 2003-04 team early in the season.
When Detroit took down the Milwaukee Bucks 129-116 on Saturday night, Cade Cunningham and company extended their win streak to 12 games. This 12-game win streak now marks the longest win streak for any Pistons team since the franchise won its last championship just over two decades ago.
Pistons have been red hot since slow start to season
The now 14-2 Pistons have won 12 in a row after going 2-2 in their first four games, which even included losing the season opener to the surprising Chicago Bulls on Oct. 22.
On Saturday, Cunningham, firmly in the MVP conversation despite missing three games during Detroit’s win streak, scored 29 points in 33 minutes in Milwaukee. He also added eight rebounds and 10 assists, falling just shy of recording a triple-double.
Cade Cunningham has led the way, but he hasn’t been alone
Beyond Cunningham, center Jalen Duren, 22, who stepped up and made history in Cunningham’s absence earlier in the week, put up 19 of his own. For another notable performance, Tobias Harris scored 18 points in 23 minutes as well.
Thanks to the win streak, the Pistons sit at the top of the Eastern Conference, holding a three-game lead over the next closest team.
Detroit has also been able to claim key victories from several teams currently in a playoff position, highlighted by a pair over the Philadelphia 76ers, one over the Atlanta Hawks and revenge for the earlier loss over the Bulls.
Looking to increase their win streak by one more, the Pistons will enjoy a favorable matchup when they travel to Indianapolis to face the lowly 2-14 Pacers.
And based on Cunningham’s individual prowess and the team’s overall play, the Pistons have to believe they have a legitimate shot to come out of a wide-open East and try to end this season the same way the 2003-004 ended theirs, lifting the fourth Larry O’Brien Trophy in the franchise’s history.