Pistons just definitively proved they're the best team in the East

The Eastern Conference has felt wide open all season long. However, at this point, the Detroit Pistons have separated themselves as the best team in the conference, and Thursday's 126-111 win over the New York Knicks is further evidence of this. They're now 3-0 against the Knicks with three 15-plus point wins and 3-1 against the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics. 

At 41-13, the Pistons don't just have the best record in the East -- they have the best record in the entire NBA. There are some reasons to be concerned about the Pistons ability to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. Nevertheless, the same can be said about every title contender, and with each passing day, it becomes harder to argue that the Pistons aren't the team to beat in the East. 

The Pistons are a matchup nightmare for the Knicks (and other teams)

The Knicks game is a perfect reminder of what makes the Pistons such a difficult matchup. It all starts with their physical and versatile defense. The biggest thing that stands out to me about the Pistons' ability to match up with the Knicks is that they are especially well-suited to take Karl-Anthony Towns out of the game. In the two games he's played against the Pistons this season, KAT is shooting 8-for-18 from the field and has committed eight turnovers. 

Towns ended up finishing with a respectable 21 points, but the Pistons took him out of the game in the first half, holding him to just three field goals. What is especially impressive is that the Pistons did this without their two top centers, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. Just imagine if they were healthy. 

While Jalen Brunson will always get his own, the Pistons are well-positioned to contain him (and other stars) with Ausar Thompson. Between their ball-pressure, physicality, and versatility, this Pistons' defense is a matchup nightmare for the Knicks (and other teams). 

The Celtics have kept things close in each of their games against the Pistons (and they won one). Regardless, the Pistons' defense disrupts Boston's elite offense like no other. Notably, the Celtics' offensive rating drops from 120.2 overall to 114.7 when they've played the Pistons this year. 

Hypothetically, the Cleveland Cavaliers could be another challenger for the Pistons. Nevertheless, they need to prove themselves a bit more before we officially re-insert them into title contention conversations. 

On the other end of the floor, Cade Cunningham's elite blend of scoring and playmaking makes him one of the hardest players to gameplan against. 

The Pistons check all the boxes of a title contender

While the Pistons' success stems from their elite defense, they check every other box of a championship contender. Firstly, they have an elite level two-way balance, ranking both top 10 in offensive and defensive rating. While it's fair to be apprehensive about the Pistons lack of secondary shot creation and 3-point shooting, a top 10 offense overall should ease these concerns.

The 40/20 rule might seem arbitrary to some, but there's no arguing with its results since 1980; all but three title winners (in an 82-game season) have their 40th win before losing their 20th. The Pistons have already cleared this threshold, with the Oklahoma City Thunder being the only other team to do so (although the San Antonio Spurs seem primed to join this club). 

Star power is, of course, another necessary component of winning a title, and Cade Cunningham is proving that he's one of the truly elite players. Cade perhaps shoulders a greater burden than anyone in the league offensively.

Posting averages of 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 9.7 assists, he's the clear engine for the team's success, and he has a legitimate MVP case. After his 42-point, 13-assist game against the Knicks, people are (finally) starting to take note of this -- but the truth is he's been amazing all year long. 

Cade's pick-and-roll pairing with Duren is one of the most unstoppable actions in basketball. Beyond that, though, Cade's gravity as a scorer opens up easy looks for his teammates, and he has arguably the best court vision in the NBA. Here are a few examples of his gravity and playmaking in action against the Knicks. 

The Pistons' ranking both bottom-five in 3-point makes and attempts, along with their lack of traditional secondary shot creation next to Cade, will be discussed ad nauseam leading up to the playoffs. I certainly admit that this is a flaw, and perhaps it will end up costing them. However, Cade's ability to create open shots for his teammates both at the rim and from the perimeter should lessen these concerns. 

Outside of this, the Pistons' lack of experience will be a point of contention -- but we just saw a young Thunder team win it all. Ultimately, I can't guarantee that the Pistons will win the East, but until further notice, I don't know how they aren't the clear favorite. 

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