Are the Pistons in the playoffs? Here's how Detroit can clinch spot today

[ASFN Admin]

The Detroit Pistons magic number is one to officially secure their NBA playoff berth.

The Pistons (42-34) are one win away from clinching their first playoff spot in six years, completing a historic season. They are double-digit favorites visiting the Toronto Raptors (28-49) on Friday night. The Raptors are playing the second night of a back-to-back after losing at home to Portland.

No team has ever tripled their win total from one season to the next. The Pistons have done it this season.

Sure, it's easier to do when you win a franchise-record low 14 games the season.

Still, the Pistons' win total over/under entering 2024-25 was around 27½.

The Pistons have blown past even the most optimistic predictions of a play-in tournament berth (Nos. 7-10 seed). Certainly the horrendous Eastern Conference from Nos. 7-15 has helped: Only the top-six teams hold a winning record.

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But the Pistons have earned this opportunity, holding a top-three defense since Jan. 1 and 28-16 record. That's despite losing starting guard Jaden Ivey to a broken fibula on New Year's Day. Their plus-6.1 net rating in 2025 is No. 6 in the NBA.

Now, they're one win from their first playoff berth since 2019, with a chance to break an NBA-record 14-game playoff losing streak that dates to the 2008 East finals.

The Pistons are shorthanded again tonight in Toronto: Cade Cunningham is questionable (left calf contusion) and in danger of missing of missing a sixth straight game; Tobias Harris (right heel soreness) is out, as is Isaiah Stewart (league suspension).

Are the Pistons in the playoffs?​

• No, the Pistons have not clinched a guaranteed playoff spot yet, though they are guaranteed a top-eight seed. Nos. 7-10 in each conference compete in the NBA play-in tournament after the regular season to decide the seventh and eighth seeds.
• The Pistons have six games remaining and can earn a guaranteed playoff spot (top-six seed) with one win or one Orlando Magic loss. The Pistons play three games (Raptors, Grizzlies, Kings) before the 7-seed Magic (38-40) play their next game Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks.

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Pistons playoffs magic number​

• The Pistons magic number is one to clinch a playoff berth to avoid the play-in tournament. They can do so with one victory, as soon as Friday night in Toronto, or one loss by Orlando.

Pistons schedule​

• Friday: at Raptors (28-49)
• Saturday: vs Grizzlies (45-32)
• Monday: vs Kings (36-40)
• Thursday: vs Knicks (48-28)
• Friday, April 11: vs Bucks (42-34)
• Sunday, April 13: at Bucks (42-34)

Pistons playoff matchup​

• The Pistons are currently the 6-seed in the East and would play the 3-seed New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs if they finish at No. 6.
• The Pistons (42-34) are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks (42-34) for the No. 5 seed, but the Bucks are leading the season series, 2-0. The teams meet in the final two games of the season in a home-and-home.
• The Pacers (45-31) are three games ahead as the 4-seed and own the tiebreaker against the Pistons. The Bucks own the tiebreaker over the Pacers if they were to catch up.

When do the NBA playoffs start?​

• The NBA playoffs are two weeks away, starting Saturday, April 19 with four Game 1 matchups. The other four series will start Sunday, April 20.

What is the NBA playoff series format​

• The first round is a best-of-seven series, with the format: 2-2-1-1-1. Each series follows the same pattern, with the team owning the better regular-season record holding homecourt advantage.
• The NBA does not re-seed after playoff rounds, meaning the 1-8 series winner plays the 4-5 winner in the conference semifinals, and the 2-7 winner plays the 3-6 winner.
• There are no back-to-back games for teams in the playoffs. Series have at least one day off between games and sometimes have two days off.

Stay tuned for the best Pistons coverage all year long at freep.com/sports/pistons.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons playoffs: Magic number is 1, can clinch today

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