They lead the NBA in wins so far in January. They'll have a winning record at the midpoint of the season. They've won five of their last six games at home, and they've also won five of their last six games on the road.
And chances are, you wouldn't guess which team fits that billing.
It's the Detroit Pistons. Yes, the Pistons.
Doormats and punchlines no more, the Pistons are adding themselves to the list of great surprises in the NBA this season. They're now 21-19 after winning Monday night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, meaning they'll hit the halfway mark of the season with a winning record for the first time since 2017-18.
“We believe we can beat anybody,” Pistons center Isaiah Stewart said. “That's our belief. We're good enough to beat any team in this league. That's the belief we've got and we believe in each other. We're always pouring confidence into each other to go out there and be the best versions of ourselves. When we have that collectively as a group, that's a lot of energy — a lot of positive energy that we're putting out there.”
The notion of the Pistons beating anybody — literally, anybody — a year ago would have been comical. That was the team that lost a record 28 consecutive games, the worst single-season stretch in NBA history. They were 4-37 through 41 games, tying the sixth-worst start to a season ever. They were so bad that Pistons owner Tom Gores had to do the unthinkable and fire a coach in Monty Williams with five years and $65 million or so left on his contract.
This year's Pistons started 0-4 under new coach JB Bickerstaff. The preseason expectations of being bad once again looked pretty secure. But they've now won 10 of their last 12 games and lead the NBA with seven wins so far in January. They could be a play-in team. They could be a playoff team. They might have an All-Star in Cade Cunningham. The way he's playing right now, Cunningham — bidding to be Detroit's first All-Star since Blake Griffin in 2019 — might want to go ahead and make plans for a trip to San Francisco next month for that very reason.
“I’m just thankful for my team, thankful for this coaching staff," Cunningham said. "We've got to keep going. We've got a lot more work to do.”
“Our job is to put him in position to be successful. And then he’s got to go out there and do it,” Bickerstaff said. “Over these 40 games now, he and I and his teammates have learned a lot about each other and how we can best help each other. And that’s what it’s about — each of us playing our role and doing what we’re supposed to do together and collectively to just help one another, make this team as good as we possibly can. Cade knows his role and what this team needs, and he’s executed perfectly.”
It does seem fitting that Bickerstaff is getting to be part of something good, since he was fired by a good team in Cleveland after last season. The Cavaliers had an over-under of 48.5 wins entering the season; they're an NBA-best 33-5 right now.
Oklahoma City, Houston, Chicago, Portland, Brooklyn and Atlanta are also among the teams on pace to top their expected win totals for the season. But they won't get there in January, like the Pistons might. If that's the metric for measuring surprises, then the Pistons might be the biggest stunner so far this season.
“The best part about this team is finding different ways to win the game,” Bickerstaff said.
It's been a long time coming. It's not time to start selling playoff tickets quite yet, Detroit. But before now, the last time the Pistons were even two games over .500 — barely above mediocre — was March 2019, nearly six years ago.
These are good signs. Signs of progress. Signs of belief. For a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game in 17 years — that's 173 players, 10 coaches and two arenas ago — there might be real hope this time.
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