At one time during the season, saying the Detroit Pistons had a shot at being the No. 8 seed in the NBA playoffs wasn't that outlandish. While this entire season has been one big struggle for Detroit, at least they were in the mix for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference earlier in the year.
↵Now, the Pistons are quickly going farther and farther away from the NBA playoff picture. Currently in 11th place in the East, the Pistons have a 23-44 record. They are six games out of eighth place, which is currently controlled by the 29-38 Indiana Pacers. With only 15 games left in the season, I think it's safe to say the Pistons can start planning their NBA Draft Lottery party, because the playoffs are a long shot at best.
↵Perhaps the most amazing thing about looking at the NBA standings is that the Chicago Bulls have already won the Central Division. The Bulls currently have the best record in the East at 48-18, and that is good enough to make them the first division champions of the 2010-11 season. The Central is so bad this year that the Pacers, Bucks, Pistons and Cavaliers are all out of reach of the Bulls, which have their sights set on finishing with the East's best record.