(Photo: Clarence Tabb Jr., Detroit News)
Boston — The Pistons head will head into the All-Star break in playoff position, holding the eighth spot. In the final 26 games, they’ll be within striking distance — within three games — of reaching the Charlotte Hornets, who are currently in seventh, and the Nets, who are in sixth.
It’s a position that seemed out of reach a few weeks ago, when they had struggled through a tough schedule in December and January and were a season-worst seven games below .500. Blake Griffin has been steady for them all season, en route to his sixth All-Star selection and the recent hot streaks by Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond have helped the Pistons to their surge.