Pistons can finally celebrate Central title: 'A big deal for our guys'

The Detroit Pistons are division champs once again. They clinched the Central Division on Tuesday, March 31 with a 127-116 home win over the Toronto Raptors , taking an eight-game lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers with six games to play. It marks the 11th division title in franchise history, and their first since 2008.

It's a significant milestone – the franchise's first crown of any sort in 6,577 days – in a season already filled with them. "You take pride in understanding how hard it is to do any of those things in this league," coach J. B.

Bickerstaff said. "You take pride in the fact that you have a group of young guys, young men who collectively have grown and achieved certain milestones. It’s a part of the process, and we expect more.

But you just respect how difficult it is to do any of those things in this league. It is a big deal for our guys and this organization to get ourselves back in that position and in position to do more, because you can't win the level you want to win at if you don’t take those steps. " More: Obsessive film habit drives Ausar Thompson's otherworldly defense It coincides with the Pistons earning their 55th win this season, giving them sole possession of the fourth-winningest season in franchise history.