Deadspin | Pistons, Pacers close regular season in opposite positions 
Jan 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended by Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson (55) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images With the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference already locked up, the Detroit Pistons visiting the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis with an opportunity to complete a 60-win regular season for the first time in 20 years.
The surprising Pistons (59-22) come into Sunday’s regular-season finale winners in five of six games, including a 118-100 rout of Charlotte on Friday. Detroit holds a four-game lead over second-place Boston, guaranteeing the Pistons home-court advantage all the way through the East’s side of the playoff bracket.
The Pistons are in pursuit of their first 60-win campaign since going 64-18 in 2005-06, and just the third time the franchise has reached the milestone in its history with the 1988-89 squad finishing 63-19.
Detroit’s 1989 team completed a run to the title, while the 2006 team fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals after back-to-back appearances in the Finals in 2004 and 2005, winning the title in 2004. The Pistons look to parlay their regular-season success, and a healthy roster in time for the postseason, to end their 21-year Finals drought.
Cade Cunningham returned this week to the lineup from a nearly month-long absence after suffering a collapsed lung. He is on a minutes restriction and will fall short of the 65-game minimum for Most Valuable Player consideration, but Cunningham has been efficient in his two games back.
He went for 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in 25:41 played on Wednesday against Milwaukee. Cunningham followed up with 14 points and seven assists against Charlotte on Friday.
“It’s good to be back out there with all the guys,” Pistons big man Jalen Duren said after his 20-point, nine-rebound, and four-assist effort on Friday. “Obviously we’ve played together before, but it’s been a little minute. It’s good having everybody in rotation.”
In addition to Cunningham, Detroit has welcomed big man Isaiah Stewart back into the mix after a calf injury.
While Detroit is aiming for its first Finals appearance in 21 years during the upcoming playoffs, last year’s Eastern Conference representative, Indiana (19-62), is closing the book on a historically down year.
The Pacers reached 60 losses for the first time since 1984-85, the result of a rash of injuries plaguing the squad since last summer. All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles, sustained in Game 7 of June’s Finals matchup with Oklahoma City, loomed over Indiana from the outset of the 2025-26 campaign.
Underscoring the organization’s roster uncertainty, none of the Pacers Game 7 starters a year ago appeared in Indiana’s 105-94 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Pascal Siakam all sat out against the 76ers with injuries, while Myles Turner left for Milwaukee in the offseason. Additionally, sixth-man Bennedict Mathurin — who scored 24 points off the bench in Game 7 — was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before this season’s deadline.
Jarace Walker led the patchwork Pacers lineup on Friday with 17 points. The third-year swingman nears the end of the season averaging career-highs in scoring at 11.6 points per game, rebounding with 5.1 per game, and assists at 2.5 a contest.
“It’s hard to evaluate guys just on the numbers and the stat sheet,” Indiana assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. “The availability all year of Jarace has been great for us. The amount of minutes he’s played is going to have some long-term impact and effect. He’s going to know what he needs to work on when the offseason comes up.”
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #Pistons #Pacers #close #regular #season #positions
Jan 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended by Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson (55) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images With the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference already locked up, the Detroit Pistons visiting the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis with an opportunity to complete a 60-win regular season for the first time in 20 years.
The surprising Pistons (59-22) come into Sunday’s regular-season finale winners in five of six games, including a 118-100 rout of Charlotte on Friday. Detroit holds a four-game lead over second-place Boston, guaranteeing the Pistons home-court advantage all the way through the East’s side of the playoff bracket.
The Pistons are in pursuit of their first 60-win campaign since going 64-18 in 2005-06, and just the third time the franchise has reached the milestone in its history with the 1988-89 squad finishing 63-19.
Detroit’s 1989 team completed a run to the title, while the 2006 team fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals after back-to-back appearances in the Finals in 2004 and 2005, winning the title in 2004. The Pistons look to parlay their regular-season success, and a healthy roster in time for the postseason, to end their 21-year Finals drought.
Cade Cunningham returned this week to the lineup from a nearly month-long absence after suffering a collapsed lung. He is on a minutes restriction and will fall short of the 65-game minimum for Most Valuable Player consideration, but Cunningham has been efficient in his two games back.
He went for 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in 25:41 played on Wednesday against Milwaukee. Cunningham followed up with 14 points and seven assists against Charlotte on Friday.
“It’s good to be back out there with all the guys,” Pistons big man Jalen Duren said after his 20-point, nine-rebound, and four-assist effort on Friday. “Obviously we’ve played together before, but it’s been a little minute. It’s good having everybody in rotation.”
In addition to Cunningham, Detroit has welcomed big man Isaiah Stewart back into the mix after a calf injury.
While Detroit is aiming for its first Finals appearance in 21 years during the upcoming playoffs, last year’s Eastern Conference representative, Indiana (19-62), is closing the book on a historically down year.
The Pacers reached 60 losses for the first time since 1984-85, the result of a rash of injuries plaguing the squad since last summer. All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles, sustained in Game 7 of June’s Finals matchup with Oklahoma City, loomed over Indiana from the outset of the 2025-26 campaign.
Underscoring the organization’s roster uncertainty, none of the Pacers Game 7 starters a year ago appeared in Indiana’s 105-94 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Pascal Siakam all sat out against the 76ers with injuries, while Myles Turner left for Milwaukee in the offseason. Additionally, sixth-man Bennedict Mathurin — who scored 24 points off the bench in Game 7 — was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before this season’s deadline.
Jarace Walker led the patchwork Pacers lineup on Friday with 17 points. The third-year swingman nears the end of the season averaging career-highs in scoring at 11.6 points per game, rebounding with 5.1 per game, and assists at 2.5 a contest.
“It’s hard to evaluate guys just on the numbers and the stat sheet,” Indiana assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. “The availability all year of Jarace has been great for us. The amount of minutes he’s played is going to have some long-term impact and effect. He’s going to know what he needs to work on when the offseason comes up.”
–Field Level Media
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