On their way to the postseason and a fierce battle with the New York Knicks, the Detroit Pistons started slowly last year.

This time around, the Pistons are handling raised expectations well. They are off to their best eight-game start in nearly two decades and on a four-game winning streak heading into Friday's visit to the Brooklyn Nets.

Detroit's 6-2 start is its best since also winning six of the first eight games in 2008-09, the final season of a run of eight straight playoff bids. Last season, the Pistons lost five of their first six games, did not get above .500 for good until Feb. 9, posted their first winning record since 2015-16 and only their second since 2007-08.

The Pistons split their first four games, and since a 116-95 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, they've beaten

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