Detroit is riding high after snapping its 15-game playoff losing streak against the New York Knicks on Monday … but former Piston Ben Wallace tells TMZ Sports the current squad isn’t a bunch of “Bad Boys” — they’ve earned their own identity!!

We caught up with Big Ben out at LAX on Tuesday … and while he knows there’s a ton of basketball left, he believes his old team can pull off the first-round upset with the series tied at 1-1.

“The guy’s been playing well,” he said. “The guy’s playing hard, playing together. We’re gonna go out there and just see what happens. I think the guys are excited about being out there, being able to be back in the playoffs. We know anytime getting to the playoffs, anything’s possible.”

“I think what they have earned, they’ve earned their own identity. Guys just going out there, playing hard, leaving it all on the line. You go out and play like that, you earn your own identity then you can call yourself whoever you want.”

He credits the job J.B. Bickerstaff has done since joining the franchise … and his name definitely deserved to be in consideration for coach of the year.

“I just think once you get guys going out playing hard everything happened good for the entire organization,” he said. “Not just the players, but the coaches and everybody else.”

Not only is Wallace enjoying the team’s run, but he’s also loving seeing the city pumped up about basketball again after years of misery.

“I think it’s going to give us a chance to see the city get behind the team and rally behind the team,” Wallace said. “I think for the first time that the city is really excited about Pistons basketball again. That’s what it’s all about.”