Pistons End 18-Year Division Title Drought

Detroit clinches first Central Division crown since 2007-08 season

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:06pm

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The Detroit Pistons have won the Central Division for the first time in 18 years, defeating the Toronto Raptors 127-116 on Tuesday. The Pistons, led by All-Stars Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, have completed a remarkable turnaround after going 14-68 just two seasons ago and tying the NBA record for most consecutive losses. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised his young team's growth and achievement, though he expects more as they set their sights on the playoffs.

Why it matters

The Pistons' division title ends one of the worst stretches in franchise history, which saw the team miss the playoffs for 10 straight seasons and hit rock bottom with a 14-68 record in 2023-24. This accomplishment marks a significant milestone in the team's rebuilding efforts and signals their return as a contender in the Eastern Conference.

The details

With Cade Cunningham sidelined by injury, Jalen Duren stepped up with 31 points on 12-of-13 shooting and 9 rebounds to lead the Pistons to victory. Daniss Jenkins, who started the season on a two-way contract, also contributed 21 points and 5 assists as the Pistons' starting point guard in Cunningham's absence.

  • The Pistons clinched the Central Division title on Tuesday, April 1, 2026.
  • The Pistons last won the division in the 2007-08 season, 18 years ago.

The players

Cade Cunningham

A 24-year-old All-Star point guard for the Detroit Pistons.

Jalen Duren

A 22-year-old All-Star center for the Detroit Pistons.

J.B. Bickerstaff

The head coach of the Detroit Pistons.

Daniss Jenkins

A Pistons player who started the season on a two-way contract and has stepped up as the starting point guard in Cunningham's absence.

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What they’re saying

“You take pride in understanding how hard it is to do these things in this league. You take pride in the fact that you have a group of young men who have grown and achieved certain milestones.”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Head Coach, Detroit Pistons

“He's so talented. He's a different kind of big that you see in the NBA. You have space-up bigs and post-up bigs, but when you have somebody who can do both, he's a problem for people.”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Head Coach, Detroit Pistons

“We knew we were trying to do something special this year. It's great to accomplish something like this, but we have our eyes on the playoffs and doing some damage there. We'll celebrate this tonight and get back to work tomorrow.”

— Daniss Jenkins, Pistons Player

What’s next

The Pistons will look to carry their momentum into the playoffs as they aim to make a deep postseason run after their division title victory.

The takeaway

The Pistons' division title represents a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that had fallen on hard times, missing the playoffs for a decade and hitting rock bottom with a 14-68 record just two seasons ago. Led by their young All-Star duo of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, the Pistons have re-emerged as a force in the Eastern Conference and will look to translate their regular season success into playoff glory.