EDITOR’S NOTE: Game 3 of the first round of the NBA playoffs between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena was in play at press time. Go to MacombDaily.com/Sports for a full game recap.

DETROIT >> For coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the game-day atmosphere inside Little Caesars Arena is one of the most significant things that defines the Detroit Pistons’ renaissance this season. He received his first taste of the fans’ disgruntlement less than three minutes into the Pistons’ 120-87 preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in early October.

Damian Lillard scored a 3-point field goal that gave the Bucks a 15-3 lead at the 9:12 mark of the first quarter. When Bickerstaff called his first timeout as coach of the Pistons, boos echoed throughout the arena. One fan shouted, “This looks just like last year,” referring to the abysmal 14-68 campaign from the previous season.

“We all heard it; it is something hard to forget,” president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said. “When it happened, it was understandable. We were getting shell-shocked by a really good team. It brought back memories for a lot of fans of what happened last year.”

However, rather than getting resentful, Bickerstaff and the Pistons used the boos as motivation to ignite one of the best one-year turnarounds in league history, as they finished with a 44-38 record. Cade Cunningham’s healthy and breakout season reassured fans’ confidence and faith in the former No. 1 pick, while several other prominent individuals played vital roles in the franchise’s success.

The revival of “Detroit Basketball” not only ended the franchise’s six-year playoff drought but also rekindled the fans’ admiration and hope.

“It is so crazy; I am so used to looking forward to the lottery this time of the year,” lifelong Pistons fan Jacob Andrzejak said to The Detroit News. “I personally believe that this core can contend for championships in the future. With the core of young players that we have, we are really just scratching the surface.”

The Pistons hosted their first playoff game since April 2019 on Thursday night for Game 3 of their first-round series against the New York Knicks.

After a disappointing defeat on Saturday, the Pistons bounced back to even the series at 1-1 with a 100-94 Game 2 win at Madison Square Garden on Monday. The win marked their first playoff victory in 17 years. Fans now believe the Pistons have a real chance of advancing beyond the first round, unlike their previous three postseason appearances in 2009, 2016 and 2019.

“This new team — they are fast. They are likable, we can rally around them,” longtime season ticketholder Don White told The Detroit News. “As you know, it was really hard to rally around the Pistons for a lot of years. And now, we’ve got something.

“I know the atmosphere is going to be incredible. The Pistons have a deep following. I think even countrywide, the people love the Pistons. It’s going to be just electric.”

Home, sweet home?

Last season, the Pistons ranked 20th in NBA total attendance at 726,378; it was their lowest total since the rebuild began following the 2019-20 campaign.

“I know a lot of season-ticket holders gave it up over the last 10 years or so,” season ticket holder Wilbur Hughes said. After so many years go by and you have losing seasons, I think they just decided they didn’t know when it was going to turn around.”

The days of being at the top of the league in attendance were over. Attending a Pistons game became a gloomy scene. Over the previous two seasons, they lost a combined 65 games on their home floor. Instead of having an arena full of excitement and joy, fans spent most of their time either booing or occasionally chanting, “Sell the team!”

Throughout the Pistons’ historic 28-game losing streak last season, some fans attended games wearing brown paper bags over their heads to display their misery. Even close and competitive games suffered, as people would often leave early to avoid traffic.

“It was difficult,” season ticket holder Steve Vitale said. “When times were tough, especially the prior two years with the Pistons organization, I’d be like, ‘Oh, come on, let’s go see the Pistons. Why don’t you go with me to the game?’ Some guys would have the attitude like, ‘No, it’s my night to floss (my teeth),’ or something like that.”

The unwavering support from longtime fans like Andrzejak, Hughes, Vitale and White was one of the few positive aspects of the Pistons’ difficult seasons. Vitale continued his two-decade run as “The Pistons Sign Guy” in an attempt to create in-game excitement while showcasing his love for the organization.

However, gaining a small number of new fans through ticket giveaways was an encouraging outcome. Detroit native Kady Cox, who did not grow up as a sports fan, developed her love for the Pistons during their worst season in franchise history.

Cox received a handful of free tickets when a fan lost interest in attending home games. This season, she witnessed the Pistons’ revival as a first-time season-ticket holder.

“Whether we won or lost, I was having a ball,” Cox said. “For me, always yelling and cheering the team on, I notice the momentum. It’s been a great experience; you feel like you’re part of a community that makes you say, ‘I am proud to be a Pistons fan.’”

Rockin’ LCA’

When Hughes left Little Caesars Arena after a game in late March, the atmosphere reminded him of the glory days at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Pistons had recorded their fifth victory in six games, 133-122 over the East’s top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. The win was all the more memorable considering the Pistons played without Cunningham and Tobias Harris, who were injured.

“When we won that game, that’s when other people and I said, ‘Wow. This team has really turned the corner. They are serious,’” Hughes said.

The excitement that filled the arena from the opening tip-off to the final buzzer was felt not only by the fans but also by the players.

The team’s resurgence this season boosted the Pistons’ attendance to ninth in the league, totaling 781,929. After a slow start, the Pistons concluded the regular season with a home record of 22-19. They recorded 17 victories on their home floor while finishing the season with the 12th-best overall record (30-20) since Jan 1.

“The first time I saw this place rowdy was against OKC (Oklahoma City Thunder) at home, and three-quarters of the arena was filled before we ran out on the court,” Pistons guard Tim Hardaway Jr. said. “That moment right there showed how much hard work, dedication and sacrifice we put into the season to get those fans into the stands. We are going to need them.”

The Pistons’ resurgence this season coincides with the excitement surrounding other professional sports teams in Detroit, as each major franchise has sparked hopes of playoff appearances and, in the case of the Lions, even championship aspirations.

“It shows you you can flip a switch in Detroit, just like the Tigers and Lions last year; it gives us just something to rally behind,” season-ticket holder Chuck Whitelam said. “That arena is going to be rocking Thursday night. We have a team that personifies the city’s toughness, hard work, and strong defense.”

Fans don’t know how far the Pistons will go during their current playoff run. But their hope of defeating the Knicks, which would be their first playoff series win since May 2008, is a testament to the encouraging vibe that now fills Little Caesars Arena.

The excitement surrounding the organization is a 180-degree turnaround from the pessimistic outlook fans had during the first three minutes of a meaningless preseason game in early October.

“It’s incredibly gratifying that we got to this point after a lot of the hard work,” Langdon said. “For us to see that from the city, it means everything. It means a lot to have the support from the fans and having it rockin’ in LCA.”