DETROIT, Michigan – The Detroit Pistons don land best playoff seed for nearly 20 years, but dem fit even better. As e stand now, Pistons dey hold No. 6 seed for Eastern Conference, just two games behind Milwaukee Bucks wey get No. 5 seed, and 3.5 games ahead of Orlando Magic wey dey sit for No. 7. Orlando no fit overtake Pistons, and Pistons no fit reach Indiana Pacers wey dey fourth. So, Detroit go either finish fifth or sixth as season dey wrap up.
Pistons sabi say dem fit determine dem own fate. Dem still get three games left for dem schedule: On Thursday night, Bucks go face New Orleans Pelicans, but that game no go matter if Pistons win against New York Knicks. If Pistons beat Knicks, den Pelicans-Bucks game go dey irrelevant. If Pistons lose to Knicks, then dem go need Pelicans to beat Bucks to keep dem hope for No. 5 seed alive.
If Pistons and Bucks win for Thursday night, here be how the standings go be before dem meet head-to-head: Bucks: 46-34, Pistons: 44-36. If Pistons fit beat Bucks in back-to-back matches, dem both go finish the regular season at 46-36. The first tiebreaker na head-to-head record. Milwaukee don win the first two meetings, but if Pistons win twice this weekend, dem go tie.
Next tiebreaker na divisional record, where Bucks get 7-7 and Pistons get 5-9 for division. If Pistons win against Bucks, both teams go end up at 7-9. After dat, tiebreaker go enter overall record against Eastern Conference teams. If Pistons fit win all dem remaining games, dem go finish at 31-21 against the East, while Bucks go land 29-23.
If Pistons lose to Knicks or Bucks beat Pelicans, na 6 seed dem go dey. Knicks need to win just one of dem last three games to secure No. 3 seed for East, plus any loss from Pacers go solidify that position.
For the Pistons to clinch a better playoff seed this season may no go easy, as Knicks don dey eye dem with 99% chance to wrap up No. 3 seed. According to analytics, Pacers fit still hook dem No. 3 seed if they win all their final games while Knicks lose all their last matches.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, wey score many points in past match against Pistons, dey under pressure. If Bucks win against Pelicans and Knicks beat Pistons, na dem go secure No. 5 seed. But if situation change, Milwaukee fit land as No. 6. Pistons don win two out of the three games against Knicks this season, but dem need to secure this last match to make sure sey dem destiny pilot them forward as playoffs dey near.
