The Detroit Pistons hope to improve upon their first-round playoff exit last season, and that goal will be easier to achieve if they can avoid Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Giannis dominated all the talk at the trade deadline (which I fear had more to do with gambling markets than reality), but nothing materialized, so he’s still in Milwaukee, a team that is getting ignored.
The Pistons, on the other hand, have been getting their flowers of late, with a big presence at the All-Star game and a top spot in most current NBA power rankings.
The Pistons would tell you that they don’t care who they face in the playoffs and that they feel they can beat anyone, which may be true, but it would be nice to avoid a healthy Giannis in the first round.