The team owner responded with a series of moves less than a year ago, including one that cost him $65 million to fire coach Monty Williams, to spark an unprecedented turnaround. The Cade Cunningham-led Pistons were 44-38 this season — one year after winning a league-low 14 games — and the 30-game improvement was the best by a team in the league that earned fewer than 20 victories the previous season.

The Detroit Pistons hit rock bottom not long ago, suffering from the longest single-season losing streak in league history and the NBA's worst record for a second straight year.