Indianapolis — In early October, as the Detroit Pistons began training camp, coach J.B. Bickerstaff was impressed by the team’s performance during five-on-five play. Observing their efforts at the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center gave Bickerstaff confidence that there were no limits to what his team could achieve in the 2025-26 season.
The Pistons went on to deliver one of the most impressive regular seasons in franchise history, reaching heights only the “Bad Boys” and “Goin’ to Work” Pistons had achieved.
BOX SCORE: Pistons 133, Pacers 121
On Sunday night, the Pistons reached 60 wins for the season with a 133-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They finished the regular season with a 60-22 record. They will enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, securing home-court advantage.
“It’s a sign of the work that has been done by everyone who is a part of this. The front office. The coaching staff. The players. The medical staff. Everyone who has touched these guys to help them with that consistency and effort,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s a group thing. Everyone who is a part of this should be celebrated for it, but our work is not done.”
Throughout the season, the Pistons consistently played to their standards, with only a few moments of deviation. Even with nothing meaningful to play for in their season finale, the Pistons remained true to their identity.
Jalen Duren was the only player absent against the Pacers due to knee injury management. His absence allowed Paul Reed to make his 11th start of the season, and he finished with a game-high 26 points, to go along with six rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Reed scored 10 of Detroit’s first 17 points, establishing dominance and a lead the Pistons never lost.
Tobias Harris also played a key role in Detroit’s strong start, scoring 19 of his 24 points in the first half. The Pistons led 81-63 at halftime, notching the second-most points scored in a first half in franchise history.
“My teammates were just finding me and putting me in positions they know I can go score and be effective,” Reed said. “I wasn’t out there trying to force anything. I was just trying to play basketball the right way.”
Cade Cunningham made his third appearance since returning from a collapsed lung that forced him to miss 11 games. He finished with 14 assists, eight rebounds and seven points. Isaiah Stewart also played in his third consecutive game since returning from his injury. He played 16 minutes, adding 16 points and five rebounds.
For Indiana, the loss confirmed that this season is the worst in franchise history, as the Pacers finished 19-63. Obi Toppin led Indiana with 21 points. Quenton Jackson notched 21 points and eight assists.
As the top overall seed, the Pistons will have to wait until the Play-In Tournament concludes to find out their first-round opponent.
Detroit will play the team that captures the No. 8 seed following the tournament. The No. 8 seed Orlando Magic will travel to Philadelphia to take on the No. 7 seed 76ers. The 10th-seeded Miami Heat will open the tournament in Charlotte to face off against the ninth-seeded Hornets.
“You have to pay attention. It gives you a chance to watch tendencies of the teams and individual players,” Bickerstaff said. “In games like this, when things are so meaningful, things can be exposed one way or another.”
Observations and notes
A chance for Cunningham: With 21 minutes played, Cunningham finished the season with 63 games played. Although he is short of the league’s 65-game rule, he still has a chance to qualify for regular-season awards.
The Players’ Union might submit an Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge, a grievance asserting that Cunningham would have played 20 or more minutes in each game he missed had the unforeseen condition not occurred. If approved, Cunningham will be eligible for regular-season awards.
Iron Man: By playing 11 minutes, Javonte Green became the only player on the roster to participate in all 82 games this season. This achievement marks the first time in Green’s career that he has accomplished the feat. In addition, he ranked second in franchise history for most steals off the bench in a single season, with 89, just behind Jerome Williams, who had 94 in the 1999-00 season.
Not missing: Reed concluded the game with a perfect shooting record, going 11 of 11 from the field. His performance marks the highest number of field goals made without a miss in franchise history, surpassing Dennis Rodman, who was once 10 of 10.
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Pistons hold off Pacers, reach 60 wins in regular-season finale
Reporting by Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
