Detroit Pistons 'locked in and focused' entering playoff series vs. Magic

Detroit — The Detroit Pistons' playoff experience this season is a complete turnaround from last year's. As the No. 6 seed, they entered the playoffs knowing exactly who they were up against — the No. 3-seeded New York Knicks. It enabled coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his players to begin their postseason practice by focusing on one team's strengths and playing style.

One year later, the Pistons secured the No. 1 seed in the playoffs after concluding the regular season with a 60-22 record. They held their first of four postseason practices at the Henry Ford Pistons Performance Center on Wednesday. Bickerstaff shared that he used each practice day to address some of the team’s mistakes observed during the final 15 games of the regular season.

After each staff member and player left the practice facility, however, their playoff preparation continued. They took advantage of the extra time to study every Eastern Conference team in the NBA's Play-In Tournament, knowing that one would be their first-round opponent on Sunday.

"Typically, you will take these five or six days to focus and hone in on one opponent, and that made preparation different," Bickerstaff said. "(This year), it is a little bit different, but it gives us a lot of time to work on what we do. We believe that if we do what we need to do at the highest level, we will have the opportunity for the right outcome. We are trying to take advantage of this time the best way that we can."

More: Detroit Pistons' playoffs X-factor Daniss Jenkins 'grateful' ahead of postseason debut

On Saturday morning, however, the Pistons finally had the opportunity to walk into their practice facility knowing their opponent. They will face the No. 8-seeded Orlando Magic in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The seven-game series begins on Sunday, with tip-off scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.

"This series is going to come down to a war of nutrition. Which team is mentally tough enough to do what is needed for 48 minutes and possibly seven times in a row," Bickerstaff said. "It's their ability to attack the painted area and their ability to get to the free-throw line. The individual guys they have who can create offense. The physicality that they play with on the defensive end of the floor. All of the things we have to be prepared for."

Paolo Banchero scored 25 points as the Magic clinched the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference with a 121-90 victory over the Charlotte Hornets during the last game of the NBA Play-In Tournament Friday night.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) defends Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the second half.

The Magic's effort against the Hornets showcased their potential threat as a lower seed. Their grit and physical style of play led Orlando to beat Charlotte in nearly every statistical category, which also showcased how the Magic split their four-game regular-season series with the Pistons 2-2.

"We are locked in and focused. We know what we have to do and are ready for the challenge," Tobias Harris said. "We have to stick to our focus. Lock up on the defensive end. Stay assertive and aggressive, not changing the way that we play. On the offensive end, take what the game is giving us."

Orlando's most recent victory over the Pistons came on April 6, with a 123-107 victory at Kia Center. Although the Pistons were short-handed, the game provided Bickerstaff with insights into areas for improvement as they head into the playoffs.

Being more disciplined on the defensive end was one of Bickerstaff's biggest takeaways against a team that led the league in free-throw shooting with an average of 27.5.

"Avoid the silly ones (fouls) if we are playing our style of basketball. We are putting our chest on people. We are using our bodies. The fouls that get you are the ones that you start using with your hands, but we cannot change who we are," Bickerstaff said. "In that fourth quarter, you could see some things that we were capable of to get us back into the game, when we cut the lead down to four. We studied that game and have paid attention to all the details."

The Magic had to play two competitive games to secure their postseason position. Orlando will enter Detroit already in playoff mode, but the same applies to the Pistons.

While waiting for their first-round opponent, the Pistons had competitive, intense practices, some of which required them to ease off the gas to avoid hurting teammates. The Pistons spent the last five days eager to join the postseason excitement and are now looking to secure their first home playoff victory since 2008, which also coincides with the franchise's last playoff series win.

"We were in here playing hard against each other more than anyone else would assume, but we are locked in on what we want to accomplish," Harris said. "We are ready to go. Ready to play. Ready to hoop. We are excited to get these playoffs started."

Magic at Pistons Game 1

**▶ Tip-off:**6:30 p.m. Sunday, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

▶ TV/radio: NBC/Peacock

▶ **Outlook:**The Pistons are set to open Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Magic on Sunday. Paolo Banchero has proven to be a challenging matchup for the Pistons, averaging 22.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 12 career games against Detroit. While appearing in three of four games against the Pistons this season, he averaged 26.3 points on 52.4% shooting from the field, to go along with 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

coty.davis@detroitnews.com

@cotydavis_24

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Pistons 'locked in and focused' entering playoffs series vs. Magic