As the NBA regular season winds down, the Detroit Pistons find themselves leading the Eastern Conference, setting them up for a coveted No. 1 seed in the playoffs. On paper, that should make them a formidable opponent, but not everyone is convinced.
In a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, NBA analysts Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe shared their picks for the "scariest" playoff teams among the 20 currently in contention. Surprisingly, the Pistons landed at No. 11 on their list, despite their strong position.
Lowe opted for the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, as his top choice, while Simmons went with the San Antonio Spurs. Their skepticism about the Pistons stems from potential matchup issues, particularly against teams like the Boston Celtics. Simmons pointed out concerns about Detroit's ability to handle Boston's dynamic wing duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, compared to Detroit's own wings, Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson, and Kevin Huerter.
Lowe brought up Pistons forward Ausar Thompson, a rising star known for his defensive prowess. However, Simmons downplayed Thompson's potential impact, suggesting he might be tasked with guarding Celtics guard Derrick White rather than taking on Brown or Tatum.
It's worth mentioning that the Pistons have a 3-1 record against the Celtics this season, though those games were tightly contested. Jaylen Brown has been a consistent thorn in their side, scoring over 32 points in each game, while Tatum was absent from these matchups.
The discussion assumed a fully healthy Pistons squad, including Cade Cunningham, who is currently sidelined with a collapsed lung. Despite his absence, the Pistons boast the NBA's No. 2 defensive rating and the No. 3 net rating, leading the East and surpassing the Celtics.
With the Pistons and Celtics likely to secure the top two seeds, a playoff showdown in the conference finals could be on the horizon. Until then, the debate over the Pistons' playoff potential remains open, as they aim to prove their critics wrong against any of the other "scarier" teams they might face.