Pistons clinch No. 1 seed in Eastern Conference with win over 76ers
The Pistons can now shift their focus to the postseason and hope that Cade Cunningham will return in time for a first-round playoff matchup.
The Detroit Pistons cruised to a 116-93 win over the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night and secured a critical milestone in the process. With the win, the Pistons clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
They leave Saturday with a 57-21 record and four games remaining in the regular season. They’re 4. 5 games ahead of the second-place Boston Celtics, who cannot catch them in the standings.
Saturday’s win was secured via a balanced offensive effort as seven different Pistons scored in double figures. Tobias Harris led the way with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. The Pistons limited a 76ers team playing without Joel Embiid to 44% shooting from the floor and 28% shooting from 3 while forcing 15 turnovers.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 23 points. The No. 1 seed is the first for the Pistons since the 2006-7 season.