The year 2025 began on a high note for the Detroit Pistons, with a New Year’s Day victory over the Orlando Magic at Little Caesars Arena that moved them to 15–18 in the 2024–25 season and marked the return of Ausar Thompson. That optimism, however, was quickly tempered by devastating news: Jaden Ivey suffered a broken left fibula, ending his 2024–25 campaign and casting serious doubt over the rest of the season.
What followed shocked just about everyone — except the Pistons themselves.
Detroit responded by finishing the regular season 44–38, completing a remarkable 30-win improvement from the previous year. In doing so, the Pistons became the first team in NBA history to triple their win total from one season to the next, clinching a long-awaited playoff berth. Their postseason run saw them face the New York Knicks in a tightly contested first-round series. While the Knicks ultimately prevailed in six games, the Pistons made sure the margins were razor-thin.
Roster Changes and a Historic Run
The offseason heading into 2025–26 brought notable roster turnover. Departures included Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley, Dennis Schröder, and Simone Fontecchio, while new arrivals featured Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson, and Javonte Green.
After a modest 2–2 start to the new season, Detroit caught fire, ripping off a 13-game winning streak — tying a franchise record previously set by the championship teams of 1989–90 and 2003–04.
At the time of writing, the Pistons sit at 25–8, having just completed a five-game West Coast road trip capped by a convincing win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Detroit currently holds the top spot in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of the New York Knicks, whom they will host at Little Caesars Arena on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Identity Taking Shape
This start to the 2025–26 season has revealed a clear identity. Cade Cunningham continues his ascent into NBA stardom, while Jalen Duren has taken significant strides, emerging as one of the league’s most promising young big men.
That growth, paired with an aggressive, hard-nosed, paint-focused style of play, has allowed head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to maximize a deep rotation — regularly going 13 players deep and demanding contributions from everyone available.
It’s a style that both Bickerstaff and guard Daniss Jenkins famously described as “a bunch of Nasty Dawgs” following a November 14 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. (Yes, “Dawgs” — the spelling inspired by the Beware of Dawgs sign handed out at the Pistons’ December 12 home game against the Atlanta Hawks.)
A Team Winning Hearts Again
The nickname fits. This Pistons team is grinding opponents down, playing with edge, and rediscovering a brand of basketball that had largely disappeared from Detroit — and, frankly, from much of the modern NBA.
More importantly, the Pistons are winning back the hearts and minds of their local fanbase while earning respect across the league. With plenty of season still ahead, the hope in Detroit is simple: that this is only the beginning — and that the “Nasty Dawgs” era is just getting started.
