Officially locked in! Hello, new king of the East! It's been a full 19 years of waiting.

Congratulations, congratulations.

The Pistons' season record has reached 57 wins and 21 losses, officially locking in the No. 1 position in the East by surpassing formidable opponents such as the Celtics.

The last time this team topped the Eastern Conference standings was traced back to the 06-07 season (53 wins, 29 losses).

As a super dark horse team that has risen powerfully in recent years, the Pistons' record last season (24-25) was 44 wins and 38 losses, placing sixth in the East; in the 23-24 season, they only achieved 14 wins and 68 losses, finishing bottom of the East, including a 28-game losing streak.

Yet within just a few years, they transformed from a weak team everyone bullied into a formidable squad feared by all opponents.

Data shows that the Pistons' current achievements are largely due to their iron-clad defensive system.So far, they average 109.4 points allowed per game (3rd in the league), 10.4 steals (1st), 6.3 blocks (1st), 57.7 points in the paint (1st), defensive efficiency 108.6 (2nd), points from turnovers 21.5 (2nd), forcing 16.9 opponent turnovers per game (1st), etc.

Motor City has two defensive anchors: center Jalen Duren averages 19.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists this season, with a 64.5% field goal percentage and defensive efficiency 107.6 (27th in the league); wing Ausar Thompson averages 9.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, with a 51.8% field goal percentage and defensive efficiency 106.6 (22nd in the league).

However, the Pistons have a critical weakness that may hinder them in the playoffs: poor shooting ability. Currently, they average 31 three-point attempts (29th in the league), 10.9 three-point makes (28th), and a 35.4% three-point percentage (20th), which seems out of place in today's offensive era.

Moreover, the Pistons' star player Cade Cunningham was suddenly diagnosed with left-sided pneumothorax just before this regular season. Although it's not expected to end his season outright, whether he can maintain his previous form after returning is unknown. In 61 games played, he averaged 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.9 assists, and 1.5 steals.

In summary, the Pistons might be the team with the biggest variables in this year's NBA, influencing the league's championship landscape to some extent.