Tag: Detroit Pistons

From 14 wins to the postseason, Pistons complete record NBA turnaround

The 2023-24 Detroit Pistons are the worst NBA team by record to make the playoffs the following season. See full ranking here.

The 2024-25 Detroit Pistons have made history, as they are officially the team to have the worst record in the season prior to reach the playoffs the following year. Detroit has gone from winning 14 games in 2023-24 to qualifying for the postseason in this campaign, something no other team has ever done. And the Pistons are doing it in style, boasting a plus-.500 record thus far this season, something that a lot of the teams in our ranking below cannot likewise claim, even despite reaching the playoffs.

In 2023-24, the Pistons resided pretty much in the NBA’s gutter, boasting a 14-68 record for the campaign, good for a 17.1 win percentage. And they were rewarded after the season with the fifth pick in the draft despite being tied with the Washington Wizards for the highest odds to earn the No. 1 pick in the lottery.

Even so, first-year Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff has done a magnificent job of turning things around in Detroit in a huge way, as the Pistons are headed to the playoffs in their first campaign with him at the helm. Detroit took the distinction of being the team with the worst record the season prior to make the playoffs the following year from the 2014-15 Milwaukee Bucks, who went from 15-67 in 2013-14 to 41-41 (and earning a playoff spot) in 2014-15.

That doesn’t mean Detroit is the team to make the biggest leap in play from one season to the next, however, as the 2007-08 Boston Celtics went from going 24-58 the year prior to boasting a 62-20 record (and winning an NBA championship) the following season. The 1997-98 San Antonio Spurs also made a bigger single-season leap than the Pistons, going from 20-62 in ’97 to 56-26 in ’98.

Regardless, the 2024-25 Pistons still own history in their own right. Below, check out the teams with the worst records in NBA history to make the playoffs the following year, a list now led by Detroit.

Darius Garland nailed a stunning Cavaliers buzzer-beater from the Pistons midcourt logo

WOW!

Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Darius Garland only had a few seconds to get down the court and hit a game-winning basket on the road against the Detroit Pistons.

Well, he did just that from the Pistons midcourt logo right as time expired in Wednesday night’s Cavaliers game.

Garland’s Cleveland teammates immediately celebrated with him on the court, as this added yet another win to the Cavaliers’ impressive season.

Cleveland is a real NBA championship contender because of plays like this from its best players.

You don’t often see buzzer-beaters like this from the midcourt logo, but Garland sure didn’t have any trouble.

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Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart suspended, ruining Isaiah Stewart bobblehead night

Isaiah Stewart’s suspension from the NBA has thrown a wrench in the Pistons’ plans to hand out his bobblehead, an event that was scheduled back in September.

The NBA has thrown a wrench in the Pistons’ plans for an Isaiah Stewart bobblehead night on Friday.

In an event that was scheduled back in September, Detroit planned to hand out Stewart bobbleheads at the game against the Dallas Mavericks. However, those plans may have to be postponed as Stewart has been suspended by the NBA for the game after he accrued six flagrant foul points.

Stewart already had four flagrant foul points when he was called for a flagrant foul 2 in the Pistons’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. He was ejected from that game, and as a result, it triggered an automatic one-game suspension without pay.

Stewart was also fined $50,000 by the NBA for making “inappropriate and objectionable gestures” following his ejection.

He’ll be allowed to return to the team when it hosts the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, but this is simply unfortunate timing for the Pistons.

Won’t someone think of the bobbleheads?

Ron Holland literally shot the lights out in hilarious Pistons-Rockets moment

The fifth overall pick was literally shooting the lights out in Detroits win on the road against Houston.

Generally, when someone says that a player is “shooting the lights out,” they’re speaking metaphorically. In the case of Detroit Pistons rookie forward Ron Holland on Monday afternoon, however, they meant it literally.

Immediately after Holland sunk a three-point shot in the first quarter to give the Pistons a 36-25 lead, the lights at Toyota Center went out and left the attendees in the dark.

“Holland, who’s not a great three-point shooter, 23%, literally shot the lights out,” Space City Home Network play-by-play announcer Craig Ackerman said. “That’s interesting.”

That was ultimately the only three points Holland scored in the 107-96 Pistons win as he finished 1 of 3 in 16 minutes logged.

The fifth overall pick from NBA G League Unite, Holland has just one start on the year and is averaging 6.5 points per game. He has made just 20 of his 80 attempts from beyond the arc.

But against the Rockets on the road, he truly was shooting the lights out.

Lip readers think Isaiah Stewart made fun of Myles Turner for playing with Legos

Turner does not PLAY with Legos. He BUILDS them.

During a game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, big men Isaiah Stewart and Myles Turner became briefly entangled.

We have seen Stewart get in his fair share of dust ups during his professional career thus far. While bloodied, he memorably charged at LeBron James (!!) in 2021. He was also reportedly arrested after punching former Phoenix Suns big man Drew Eubanks.

The latest beef involving the big man known for the nickname Beef Stew is not nearly dramatic as either incident described above, though. Instead, for this particular issue, he was caught making fun of Turner simply for  his love of Legos.

Turner is indeed a Legos enthusiast, which is well-documented.

He has made it clear, however, that he builds Legos. He does not play with them. So perhaps the use the word “play” may have rubbed Turner the wrong way.

Either way, this clearly stuck with Turner, who made sure to keep his eyes on Stewart after the game concluded.

As far as petty insults go, however, Stewart earned some points with this one.

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Former MSU standout Malik Hall acquired by Detroit Pistons’ G-League affiliate

Malik Hall is coming back to Michigan

In his time at Michigan State, Malik Hall was a versatile and beloved player for the Spartans, known for his quiet demeanor and strong post moves for a wing. Now, Hall will return home to Michigan, as he was acquired by the Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons’ G-League affiliate, on Friday.

Hall, who averaged 12 points per game in his last year with MSU, was originally selected in the first round of the G-League draft by the Greensboro Swarm, the Charlotte Hornets’ affiliate.

Details of how the Cruise acquired Hall have not yet been reported on, but it will be great to see Malik back in Michigan where fans will be able to see him play basketball again in person.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Son of Notre Dame women’s basketball coach suffers broken fibula

Prayers up for Jaden.

Nothing is scarier on a basketball court than seeing a player having to be taken off on a stretcher. Regrettably, fans who attended the Detroit Pistons’ New Year’s Day game against the Orlando Magic were subjected to that dreadful sight.

For Notre Dame women’s basketball fans, it was a particularly brutal scene. Jaden Ivey, the son of Irish coach [autotag]Niele Ivey[/autotag], was involved in a collision with Cole Anthony, and it couldn’t have been more immediately clear that he was in a lot of pain. Both teams gathered around him as he was removed from the court.

ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed the worst the next morning when he reported that Ivey had suffered a broken left fibula in the collision. While the Pistons are not ruling Ivey out for the season, it stands to reason that they won’t rush him back.

Here’s the video of the injury, though it’s advisable not to watch if can’t subject yourself to such things:

Ivey is averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists in his third NBA season.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

NBA trainer Joe Abunassar: ‘Being great demands more sacrifice than most are willing to make’

Joe Abunassar, a name synonymous with elite basketball training, brings nearly three decades of expertise to the game. Over his 27-year career, Joe has trained over 300 NBA players, including Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Chauncey Billups. As the …

Joe Abunassar, a name synonymous with elite basketball training, brings nearly three decades of expertise to the game. Over his 27-year career, Joe has trained over 300 NBA players, including Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Chauncey Billups.

As the founder of Impact Basketball, Joe revolutionized the field by integrating on-court skills, strength, nutrition, and mental performance into one comprehensive system.

Abunassar sat down with HoopsHype reflecting on his journey, his approach to blending drills with game readiness, the importance of building trust with players, and his plans for the future of Impact Basketball.

Son of Notre Dame women’s basketball coach has winning four-point play

What a way to end a game.

It doesn’t happen often, but a basketball game can be won via a four-point play. Such fortune happened to Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey, the son of Notre Dame women’s basketball coach [autotag]Niele Ivey[/autotag].

With the Pistons trailing the Sacramento Kings by three on the road and 10.8 seconds left, Ivey received a pass in the right corner. He dribbled once, moved further right and drew contact from De’Aaron Fox as he put up a 3-pointer. A whistle blew, and Ivey’s shot went in, tying the game and putting him at the free-throw line with a chance at a potential game-winning free throw.

Ivey’s subsequent free throw went in, putting the Pistons up by one. The Kings had no timeouts and 3.1 seconds to go the length of the court. Fox fired a prayer from beyond half-court but couldn’t convert. The Pistons had won a game they had trailed as much as 19 and not led since the first quarter:

Ivey finished with 19 points, six rebounds and one block.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Killian Hayes: ‘You can’t take everything off the Internet’

Killian Hayes came into the league full of promise. Drafted 7th in the shortened COVID season, Hayes was brought to Detroit to be their franchise floor general. However, after several underwhelming years, he was released back in February. Hayes is …

Killian Hayes came into the league full of promise. Drafted 7th in the shortened COVID season, Hayes was brought to Detroit to be their franchise floor general. However, after several underwhelming years, he was released back in February.

Hayes is currently with the Long Island Nets hoping to show he can still play at the NBA level, and latch on with a team soon. Following a recent practice at the G-League Showcase in Orlando, the southpaw spoke with HoopsHype about his improved shooting mechanics, what he can bring to potential teams, the online discourse against him, and more.