This article is presented by Antonio’s Italian Cucina

When will teams stop playing around with Detroit? 

For years, any team with a pulse could push Detroit around. Both basketball-wise, and physically. We had no identity and were truly horrendous. But slowly, we’ve begun to overcome both issues, creating a toughness within the locker room, while also getting better collectively as a basketball team. 

JB Bickerstaff said it best after the Timberwolves game, “We were disrespected, and that’s a nonnegotiable.” These guys are truly playing with a Detroit vs. Everyone mentality. That much is evident from the Utah Jazz fight between Jordan Clarkson and Ron Holland to the Timberwolves scuffle between Holland, DiVincenzo, Stew and Naz. It’s about time for the league to understand that these new Pistons, the ones who just secured one of the largest single season turnarounds in NBA history, are not to be fucked with. If you push us, we will push back. If you talk shit, we will throw a lob to Duren on your head, and then talk shit back. 

This is obviously a double-edged sword. If we are known for not being pushed around and not being afraid to settle things, other teams can absolutely use that to their advantage come playoff time. Isaiah Stewart wasn’t the aggressor in the TWolves dust up, yet because he has a history, he received the largest suspension. You better believe that if I were a playoff team, I’m finding our instigator and telling him that his sole purpose in this series is to get under the skin of Isaiah Stewart and Ron Holland, and get them ejected. It’s how guys like Pat Beverly made their career.

Losing someone like Ron Holland wouldn’t be the end of the world come playoff time, but Isaiah Stewart is invaluable around the rim, defensively. The Pistons are expected to play one of the Pacers, Bucks or Knicks in the first round, all of which I could easily see attempting to push Detroit around. Stew has already been ejected in a game against Giannis, the Pacers rivalry is very much alive, and New York is New York.

So to that point, it’s on the veterans on this roster, looking at you, Tobias Harris, Dennis Schroder, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr., to keep the boys in check. Help them find that line between “Don’t fuck with Detroit” and “They’re trying to get you riled up, let it go”.