Philadelphia 76ers Star Gives Pistons Their Props for Sealing No.1 Spot in the East

The Detroit Pistons claimed the No.1 spot in the Eastern Conference at the expense of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Overall, the Pistons are putting together an impressive season, building on last year’s playoff run and establishing themselves as one of the league’s elite teams.

They’ve firmly entered the conversation as a legitimate title contender.

And the Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey was quick to give Detroit their flowers after a 116-93 victory at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

What Maxey said

“They played hard, they play the right way,” Maxey told NBC Sports Philadelphia.

“Today was the first game that I played where they kind of jumped on us early and got it, kind of gave it to us early. But the first two games we played, we played them really good.

“We was up in the fourth quarter, Really should have won the game. You know what I mean? So, they're definitely a good team. They play hard, they put it right away and play together.”

Tyrese Maxey with high praise for the Pistons, who clinched the No. 1 seed in the East with a win over the Sixers Saturday.@FultonBank pic.twitter.com/462evM25dI
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 5, 2026

That said, the Pistons are currently without star guard Cade Cunningham, who suffered a collapsed lung. His status will be closely monitored as the regular season winds down.

Even so, Detroit continues to show its depth and resilience. The team delivered a dominant road victory over the 76ers, reinforcing that they remain dangerous even while shorthanded. After the game, Maxey acknowledged the challenge of facing a team like the Pistons, noting that their performance served as a clear reminder not to take them lightly.

Seven Detroit players reached double figures in scoring during the win. Tobias Harris led the effort with 19 points, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Jalen Duren followed with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Daniss Jenkins contributed 16 points and 14 assists. Ausar Thompson added 14 points and five rebounds, and both Duncan Robinson and Ronald Holland II chipped in 11 points apiece.

“It's how we approach the game,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, “And what our guys have done a great job with throughout this season is staying present and staying in the moment. All we think about is, ‘What are we going to do today that's going to make us a better basketball team?’

“We think about exactly where we are in that moment, and that allows us to stay consistently, emotionally, and go out and play the game the right way,”

With the victory, Detroit improved to 57-21 on the season, securing the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings ahead of the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.