The Detroit Pistons are the best team in basketball.

Read that again. Let it sink in. The team that won 14 games two years ago. The team that was the league's doormat for the better part of a decade. The team nobody wanted to watch. That team is 24-6 and sitting atop the entire NBA.

This is the best story in sports right now, and somehow it's not getting nearly enough attention.

The Quick Hit

• The record: Detroit is 24-6, best in the NBA and best in the Eastern Conference
• Historic pace: This is the franchise's best 30-game start since 2005-06, when they went 25-5
• The streak: The Pistons tied the franchise record with a 13-game winning streak earlier this season
• The star: Cade Cunningham is playing like an MVP candidate

How Did We Get Here?

Just over a month ago, the Pistons rattled off 13 straight wins — tying the franchise record set during their championship runs in 1990 and 2004. They were the talk of the league. Everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It never did.

After the Celtics finally ended that streak in a 117-114 thriller on November 26 (Cade dropped 42 in the loss), most analysts figured Detroit would come back to earth. Regression was inevitable. The sample size was too small.

Instead, the Pistons just kept winning.

They went into Boston on December 15 and beat the Celtics 112-105 — revenge served cold. They've now won their last four straight and show no signs of slowing down. The 136-127 destruction of Sacramento moved them to 24-6, marking the best 30-game start for the franchise since they went 25-5 during the 2005-06 campaign.

Cade Cunningham is That Guy

The first overall pick in 2021 has finally become the player everyone expected. He's averaging over 24 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds per game while shooting efficiently from all three levels. His pick-and-roll game is lethal. His leadership is undeniable.

In that loss to Boston where the streak ended, Cade had 42 points. Missed a tying free throw in the final seconds. Most guys would let that moment haunt them. Cade came back and led his team to the best record in basketball.

That's what franchise players do.

The Betting Angle

Here's where it gets interesting for degenerates: the Pistons are -3.5 favorites at the Clippers tonight. Detroit. Road favorites. Against an LA team.

Think about that for a second. Two years ago you couldn't give away Pistons tickets. Now they're laying points in Los Angeles.

Detroit has been the favorite in 24 games this year and has won 75% of those games. They're not just winning — they're winning convincingly against teams they're supposed to beat. That's the mark of a legit contender.

Tonight's game tips off at 9 PM ET. The over/under is 225.5.

What It Means for the East

The Pistons are a half-game ahead of the Cavaliers and have a comfortable cushion over the Celtics. If they can maintain this pace, they're looking at home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Home-court advantage. For the Pistons. In the playoffs.

I genuinely can't believe I'm typing these words.

The Bottom Line

The Detroit Pistons are the best team in the NBA, and betting against them right now is betting against momentum, confidence, and a roster that finally figured it out.

Is there regression coming? Maybe. Probably, if we're being honest. But we've been saying that for two months, and the Pistons keep proving us wrong.

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap and recognize when a team is for real. Detroit is for real. Cade Cunningham is for real. And if you're not paying attention to the Pistons yet, you're missing one of the best stories in sports.

24-6. Best in the league. It's happening.