What NBA Play-In Tournament Has Taught Us About Pistons' First Round Opponent So Far

The top-seeded Detroit Pistons are close to finding out who they'll face in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Apr 12, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Caris LeVert (8) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Pistons are close to learning their first-round opponent as the NBA play-in tournament continues. The winner of Friday night’s play-in matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic will clinch the No. 8 seed and face the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. 

The Hornets defeated the Miami Heat 127-126 in an overtime thriller to advance to Friday night's matchup, while the Magic fell in the battle for the No. 7 seed, losing 109-97 to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Pistons are scheduled to open the postseason on Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena, and both the Magic and Hornets present unique challenges for Detroit in a potential first-round series.

Why Most Fans Want Pistons to Face Hornets Over Magic

Apr 10, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) controls the ball against the Detroit Pistons during first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Hornets, who have formed a heated rivalry this season with the Pistons since the brawl between the two teams on Feb. 9, would make for an exciting first-round series, and it’s also the matchup that fans most want to see. The aftermath of the Feb. 9 brawl between the Hornets and Pistons resulted in suspensions for Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, Miles Bridges, and Moussa Diabate, and a playoff series is likely to create more bad blood.

During the regular season, the Pistons went 3-0 against the Hornets and look to continue that dominance in a first-round series. Players that are key to the Hornets giving the Pistons a tough first-round series include Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, who both lead Charlotte in scoring this season, averaging over 20 points per game.

Most Pistons fans would prefer to see the Hornets in the first round, given how well the Magic performed against Detroit during the regular season. In their regular-season series, the Pistons went 2-2 against the Magic. Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane are the three Magic players who will challenge the Pistons in a first-round series. 

Pistons Aim For Better Consistency In First Round Series

Apr 12, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson (55) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

While the Pistons should be able to advance past the Magic, fans shouldn’t be surprised if a playoff series between the two goes to six games. Entering the postseason, the Pistons are looking to secure their first playoff series win since 2008. Last season, the Pistons fell in a hard-fought six-game series against the New York Knicks, where every game came down to the wire. 

Hoping to have learned from their playoff experience last season, the Pistons aim to be more consistent down the stretch to close out games, which will be the key for Detroit to make a deep run.      

The Pistons enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed for the first time since the 2006-07 NBA season and are in the best position to win an NBA championship since reaching the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics.

The Pistons' first playoff matchup on Sunday against either the Magic or the Hornets is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET with the game broadcast on NBC.