Predicting Detroit Pistons final 10 games, playoff seed and first-round matchup

With 10 games remaining in the season, it's difficult to imagine a bad finish for the Detroit Pistons. After all, they've already won 40 games and can clinch at least a .500 record on Tuesday, when they host the lowly San Antonio Spurs. Coming off the worst season in Pistons franchise history, expectations have been demolished. They could add more than 30 wins to last season's 14-68 finish, which would rank among the greatest single-season turnarounds in NBA history. The Pistons (40-32) are sixth in the Eastern Conference. They've played two more games, as of Monday morning, than the teams directly in front of them — the 4-seed Indiana Pacers (41-29) and 5-seed Milwaukee Bucks (40-30) and could surpass one or both of them in the standings to secure homecourt advantage. The Pistons have the most difficult path of the three teams, however, with the league's second-hardest schedule down the stretch based on combined win percentage. Other than the Spurs, the Toronto Raptors are the only team remaining projected to miss the postseason on the Pistons' schedule. The Pacers have the 12th hardest schedule, and the Bucks have the 22nd hardest. It'll take a significant effort for the Pistons to outplay the other two teams down the stretch. But the consolation prize — a likely first-round matchup against the New York Knicks, and a playoff series in the national spotlight — isn't so bad, either. Here's a prediction of how the final stretch of the season may play out. The Spurs have won three straight despite losing Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox for the season, but they won’t be able to contend with Detroit’s size. This should be a competitive game, but the Pistons have already dropped the first three meetings against the East’s most dominant team. A career-high 53 points from Anthony Edwards wasn’t enough to best the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in January, largely thanks to Cade Cunningham’s 40 points and nine assists. But the Wolves have improved and have won eight of their past 10 entering Monday, and will host the rematch. A tough three-game stretch concludes with a rematch against the NBA’s top team, which just defeated the Pistons in Detroit on March 15 without Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. The Pistons have won five in a row over the Raptors. They should close their road trip by making it six. After a hot start to the season, the Grizzlies have slid in the standings and won’t rebound against a Pistons team looking to capitalize on a four-game homestand. The Kings are another team losing steam as the season winds down, giving the Pistons a prime opportunity to build some momentum of their own before a difficult three-game finale. Two of the Pistons’ defining wins this season were over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. They’ll make it 3-for-3 at home. Assuming Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are both active, it’ll be a difficult home finale for a Pistons franchise that has lost 11 straight, and 23 of 24 against the Bucks. If the Bucks already have playoff seeding secured, it would give them incentive to minimize minutes for their superstar duo — and open the door for a Pistons road win. Indeed, the Bucks are well-positioned to secure homecourt advantage with two of their final five games against the 19-win Pelicans, and six of their final eight games at home. Meanwhile, the Pacers will face the league-worst Wizards twice, as well as the 18-win Hornets once. They could also get lucky during their season finale in Cleveland, if coach Kenny Atkinson decides to rest the Cavs' starters. The margin for error will be slim for the Pistons, who also would lose a tiebreaker against the Pacers due to them losing the season series 3-1. They're destined for a first-round matchup in New York against the Knicks in the 3-6 matchup. [ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky. Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).