Detroit Pistons' Path to the Playoffs: Magic Number Update

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Detroit Pistons are teetering on the brink of securing an NBA playoff berth, but the anticipation lingered over the weekend.

The Pistons' magic number remained unchanged because neither of them Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic winning.

With seven games remaining, the Pistons (42-33) are inching closer to clinching a playoff spot for the first time in six years. Following their victory in three successive games, they haven’t lost any steam. Cade Cunningham —including Friday's 133-122 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers—the Pistons fell The match on Sunday versus the Minnesota Timberwolves .

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Seven players and coaches were removed from the game early in the second quarter Including Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and players Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and Marcus Sasser, following an altercation with Minnesota Timberwolves’ Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo that extended to involve spectators seated in the first-row sideline seats. At this time, it remains uncertain whether any penalties will be imposed.

The Pistons have already more than tripled their victory count from last season, securing a winning record for the first time in nine years. As of Monday, they hold the fifth seed position in the NBA. Eastern Conference playoff race The top six seeds secure a place in the playoffs, while seeds seven through ten compete for entry into the postseason. play-in tournament played immediately following the conclusion of the regular season.

READ MORE: Pistons clash with Timberwolves: 'Bad Boys' resurrected, or venturing too far?

What is the Pistons' magic number to secure their playoff berth? epic turnaround ?

Let's address the crucial questions, including what their key figure is:

The Pistons' Magic Number to Secure a Playoff Berth

After Sunday’s defeat, the Pistons still have a magic number of two. This means they need either two more victories or a mix of their own wins combined with Atlanta Hawks’ (36-38) defeats. Currently seeded as the seventh team, the Hawks have eight remaining games scheduled. The Pistons lead the season series against the Hawks at 3-1 and possess the tiebreaking advantage. Meanwhile, the Hawks will face Portland at home on Tuesday before traveling to take on the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

The magic figure of two is relevant for the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic (36-39) as well. The Magic have secured the season series against the Pistons with a record of 2-1, giving them the edge due to the tiebreaker, considering they still have seven more games left on their calendar. The Magic will be hosting the game. Los Angeles Clippers
On Monday evening, followed by a visit to theصندおすす
صند San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

At what point can the Pistons secure their place in the playoffs?

The Pistons have the opportunity to secure a playoff berth as early as Wednesday evening. For this to occur, the following needs to take place:

  • Magic lose to the Clippers on Monday or against the Spurs on Tuesday.
  • The Hawks were defeated by the Blazers on Tuesday.
  • The Pistons beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday at 9:30 PM on ESPN.

Should any of these conditions fail to be met, the Pistons will need to wait for another opportunity to secure a top-six seeding.

NBA playoffs contest for Detroit Pistons in East conference rankings

Here’s an overview of the East playoff standings entering Monday evening:

  • 1. Cavaliers (60-15), —
  • 2. Celtics (55-19), trailing by 4½ games
  • 3. Knicks (47-27), 12½
  • 4. Pacers (43-31), 16½
  • 5. Pistons (42-33), 18
  • 6. Bucks (40-34), 19½
  • 7. Hawks (36-38), 23½
  • 8. Magic (36-39), 24
  • 9. Bulls (33-41), 26½
  • 10. Heat (33-41), 26½

At present, the Pistons would encounter their division opponent, the Pacers, in a 4-5 match-up during the opening round of playoffs. In this best-of-seven series, Indiana will host the initial two games. Should both teams end the regular season with identical records, the Pacers possess the tiebreaker due to having won three out of four meetings between them over the course of the season.

The Bucks are plummeting rapidly and have dropped four consecutive games without their All-Star guard. Damian Lillard, who is probably out for the remainder of the season due to blood clots, The squads face off in the last two matches of the season on April 11 and 13 in back-to-back fixtures. So far, Milwaukee leads the season series with a record of 2-0.

Should the Pistons stay in the 4-5 matchup, the team that emerges victorious from this series will face off against the winner of the No. 1 versus No. 8 matchup, presumably the Cavaliers. It’s worth noting that the league doesn’t perform reseeding between playoff rounds.

The Pistons own an NBA-record 14-game losing streak in the postseason, with their last win coming in 2008 , 17 years ago.

READ MORE: 5 instances that ignited Detroit Pistons' surprising resurgence

When does the NBA playoff season begin?

The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday, April 19.

The NBA play-in tournament for determining the seventh and eighth seed positions in each conference will take place from April 15 to April 18.

The initial phase is a best-of-seven matchup, structured as 2-2-1-1-1. This setup remains consistent for every series, where the squad with the superior regular season performance gets to host more games.

Pistons schedule remaining

The Pistons have seven remaining games, featuring the fourth-toughest schedule when considering opponent win rate at .572, as per data provided. Tankathon.com , starting off on Monday. (Indiana holds the No. 20 schedule with a winning percentage of .484, whereas Milwaukee has the No. 25 schedule with a winning percentage of .434).

Below is the Pistons' schedule (as of records coming into Monday):

  • Wednesday: at Thunder (62-12)
  • Friday: at Raptors (28-47)
  • Saturday: vs Grizzlies (44-30)
  • April 7: Against the Kings (36-38)
  • April 10: Against the Knicks (47-27)
  • April 11: Against the Bucks (40-34)
  • April 13: vs Bucks (40-34)

[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Detroit Pistons Podcast, available for listening wherever you usually catch your favorite episodes. Apple , Spotify ) ]

Keep an eye on us throughout the entire year. freep.com/sports/pistons .

Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram for updates. @GudangMovies21 ), TikTok ( @GudangMovies21 ), YouTube ( @GudangMovies21 ), X ( @freep ), and LinkedIn , and follow us on Facebook ( @GudangMovies21 ).

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The article initially appeared in the Detroit Free Press. Update on Detroit Pistons' magic number for securing an NBA playoff spot: Ways they can make it happen

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