What the Detroit Pistons Still Need To Do To Lock Up No. 1 Seed in Eastern Conference

With 11 games remaining in the regular season, the Detroit Pistons are in great shape to lock up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Mar 20, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) heads up court after stealing the ball from Golden State Warriors guard Will Richard (not pictured) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Entering Wednesday night’s home matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, despite the loss of star Cade Cunningham, are looking to reach one step closer to locking up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since the 2006-07 NBA season. 

That season, the Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games.

The Pistons currently hold a 52-19 overall record and are five games ahead of the Boston Celtics for the No. 1 seed. 

How Detroit Pistons Clinch No. 1 Seed

Mar 20, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) takes the floor during player introductions before their game against the Golden State Warriors at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Following the Pistons' 113-110 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit’s magic number of clinching the No. 1 seed is six. With 11 games remaining on their regular-season schedule, the Pistons would need to go 6-5 to lock up the No. 1 seed. 

Judging off their last three games without Cunningham in the lineup, the Pistons are in great shape to clinch the No. 1 seed, a milestone that just two short years ago seemed unimaginable. From just 14 wins in 2024 to potentially clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference two years later, the Pistons' turnaround story has been one of the most remarkable in the NBA in recent memory.

Other than Wednesday night’s matchup against the Hawks, the Pistons have several marquee matchups remaining on their regular-season schedule. Challenging matchups for the Pistons in the final 11 games of the regular season include road tests against the Minnesota Timberwolves (Mar. 28), the Oklahoma City Thunder (Mar. 30), the Philadelphia 76ers (Apr. 4), and the Charlotte Hornets (Apr. 6).

One thing that helps the Pistons if they go on a slump to end the regular season and end up being tied with the Boston Celtics is that they own the tiebreaker. During the Pistons' regular-season series with the Celtics, the Pistons won three out of the four matchups against Boston, with their lone loss coming on Nov. 26 at TD Garden, falling 117-114 in NBA Cup Group Play.  

In their last three games, Jalen Duren and Dannis Jenkins have both been phenomenal for the Pistons, as they have stepped up following Cunningham’s collapsed lung diagnosis. Ausar Thompson’s defense has also been dominant as of late, as his defensive performance could be a key x-factor for the Pistons in the postseason. 

The three look to build off their recent play and guide the Pistons to clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons look to continue their winning streak against the Hawks on Wednesday night. The tip-off between the Pistons and Hawks is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET with the game broadcast on ESPN.