DETROIT >> J.B. Bickerstaff never forgot the boos that echoed throughout Little Caesars Arena during his first game as coach of the Detroit Pistons. He called a timeout three minutes into the first quarter of a preseason game after Damian Lillard nailed a 3-point field goal that played into the Milwaukee Bucks taking a 120-87 exhibition victory in early October.

He wasn’t upset by the crowd’s disapproval. In fact, he believed that their displeasure stemmed from the passion of the fan base. Instead of getting upset, Bickerstaff used the boos as additional motivation to ignite one of the best one-year turnarounds in league history.

“There’s a connection from this team to the fan base. We want to make them proud,” Bickerstaff said. “People are willing to pay their hard-earned money to come watch us play. They take the time to watch us on TV, we do not take any of that for granted. People could be doing anything else in the world, but they choose to be here with us, and that’s huge for us.”

Seven months later, the Pistons played their final home game of the regular season in a 125-119 loss to the Bucks. Despite losing to Milwaukee, fans cheered for Bickerstaff and the Pistons as they left their home floor. Their cheers were a testament to the excitement surrounding the franchise ahead of its first playoff series after six years.

As the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons will open the first round against the New York Knicks. The seven-game series could begin as early as April 19 at Madison Square Garden. The Pistons feel confident in the playoff matchup, given that they won their four-game regular-season series 3-1.

“The regular season is the regular season,” Malik Beasley said. “I’ve been in the league for nine years, and I know everything is different in the playoffs. It’s one game at a time. They are a great team, and we cannot underestimate them. It’s like what coach says, ‘it’s grit and grind basketball.’

“Madison Square Garden is Madison Square Garden. Being in the Garden in the first round, we have to pull out two wins. Come back home and sweep them.”

The Pistons have a handful of veterans with playoff experience. However, much of Detroit’s success will depend on players who have never experienced the postseason. But instead of waiting for their playoff opponent, the Pistons began preparations as soon as they clinched a postseason spot in Toronto on April 4.

Cade Cunningham revealed that each of the previous four games has provided the team with beneficial preparation for the playoffs. Their biggest came during Thursday night’s 115-106 victory over the Knicks, in which Cunningham scored 36 points.

Beasley stated that playing against the Bucks on Friday night served as additional preparation, given the team’s goal to surpass Milwaukee for the No. 5 seed. The Bucks secured the fifth seed and will face the Indiana Pacers in their respective first-round series.

“Yesterday (Thursday), we were trying to understand the team as best as we could,” Cunningham said. “We were trying to understand what our strengths are against them. We have been preparing for this moment, of course, our staff has been preparing for it. This is what we set out to do. To be here now is a great feeling. But now, the real grind starts. We have to strap up. Get ready, and we will be.”

The Pistons won’t have anything at stake in their regular-season finale against the Bucks on Sunday. However, Bickerstaff intends to use the next 48 hours as a dress rehearsal to demonstrate how to make adjustments and preparations when facing the same opponent just days apart.

The Pistons are delighted to have a chance to compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Given their resurgence and fan support, they believe their goal is realistic.

“It is special for us — we all feel great about what we’ve done this year,” Cunningham said. “For the city, that’s the main thing is bringing playoff basketball back to Detroit. I think we all feel great about that. We’re super happy for the city and for the fan base.

“We’re not satisfied at all. I’ve said it before, we’re still hungry. We want to go win this first round.”

So that’s where our focus is right now. And I think the energy in there has been amazing, but I still don’t think that’s going to compare to what the playoffs are going to be like. So, I’m excited to see that for sure.”