The Detroit Pistons are entering the 2026 NBA Playoffs with the No. 1 seed and a lot of doubt surrounding them.
Despite being the only Eastern Conference squad to touch 60 wins in 2025-2026, the Pistons’ inexperience in the postseason has led some NBA analysts and fans to overlook them in predictions.
The former Boston Celtics All-Star Isaiah Thomas makes it clear that’s a mistake.
Isaiah Thomas Backs The Detroit Pistons
“To the media, they don’t get the respect that they deserve. I think their peers and other teams respect what they bring to the table because they are a hard-nosed team. They play high-level defense. It reminds me of the bad boys mentality with the OG Isiah Thomas. Fast forward to when they had Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, and all of those guys,” Thomas said on NBA TV.
“What they are doing is amazing. It’s not being talked about enough. I think that’s how they like it. I think that’s the makeup of their culture and their organization. They wouldn’t want it any other way of being underestimated all year long and to come out and prove people wrong throughout the postseason. That’s what’s next.”
After going 60-22, the Pistons finished the season with a 4.0-game lead over the Boston Celtics. Despite dealing with a major absence late in the year, with Cade Cunningham suffering a collapsed lung, the Pistons continued to thrive.
They have star power, depth, and elite coaching.
What’s Next For The Pistons?
Being in the first seed, the Pistons don’t know their first-round opponent just yet.
The NBA Play-In Tournament tips off on Thursday with the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat battling for a shot at a series against Detroit.
The winner of that game will have to travel to Philadelphia or Orlando on Friday.
Detroit will face one of the four (Sixers, Hornets, Heat, or Magic).
After falling short against the New York Knicks in the NBA Playoffs last season, the Pistons are motivated to make a deep run in 2026. Many might doubt their chances against some of the East’s top teams, especially including Thomas’ former squad.
However, the former star guard is confident that the Pistons are the real deal.