Detroit Pistons Clinch Central Division Title for First Time Since 2007-08

Posted : 01 April 2026

After nearly two decades of ups and downs, the Detroit Pistons have finally reclaimed the Central Division crown. On Tuesday, the Pistons defeated the Toronto Raptors 127-116, securing their first division title since the 2007-08 season and completing a remarkable turnaround.

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff celebrated the achievement, emphasizing the team’s growth. “You take pride in understanding how hard it is to do these things in this league,” he said. “You take pride in the fact that you have a group of young men who have grown and achieved certain milestones. It's a part of the process, and we expect more.”

Just two seasons ago, the Pistons struggled through a 14-68 campaign, including a 28-game losing streak that tied an NBA record. This season, they finished 55-21, powered by two All-Stars in Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. With Cunningham sidelined due to a lung injury, Duren starred with 31 points on 12-of-13 shooting and added nine rebounds against Toronto.

“He's so talented,” Bickerstaff said of Duren. “He's a different kind of big that you see in the NBA. You have space-up bigs and post-up bigs, but when you have somebody who can do both, he's a problem for people.” Daniss Jenkins, who began the season on a two-way contract, also stepped up, scoring 21 points with five assists. Since taking over as starting point guard, he has averaged 18.6 points and 6.9 assists.

Jenkins reflected on the milestone but kept the team’s focus on the future. “We knew we were trying to do something special this year. It's great to accomplish something like this, but we have our eyes on the playoffs and doing some damage there. We'll celebrate this tonight and get back to work tomorrow.”

The Pistons’ rise marks the end of one of the most challenging eras in franchise history. In 2007-08, Detroit still featured many players from its 2004 championship team, finishing 59-23 and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth straight season. However, the following years brought instability: Chauncey Billups was traded for Allen Iverson, Flip Saunders was replaced by Michael Curry, and the team cycled through eight coaches over ten seasons without a single playoff victory.

The downward spiral continued into one of the worst five-year stretches in NBA history, with a cumulative 94-290 record, reaching a low point in 2023-24 with a 68-loss season. The emergence of Cunningham and Duren last season sparked hope, as they improved the team by 30 wins, though the Pistons fell to the New York Knicks in six games during the first round of the playoffs. This season’s division title signals a new chapter in Detroit’s rebuilding process.

Detroit Pistons Clinch Central Division Title for First Time Since 2007-08

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