Pistons’ JB Bickerstaff Reveals NSFW Massive Silver Lining in Loss to Knicks
Tough loss for the Pistons on Friday night.
The Detroit Pistons faced a rough defeat against the New York Knicks on Friday night, with a final score of 129-98 that highlighted their struggles: they never led once in the game. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff expressed the impact of such a loss on a team’s morale.
“We didn’t handle the game with the maturity it required. For us, it’s a learning experience, and sometimes you have to endure a tough loss to truly learn,” Bickerstaff noted.
He added, “The lesson for the players is that due to our recent competitiveness, we’ve gained respect from others, and that means opponents will bring their best effort right from the start. The Knicks are a strong team, and when you earn respect, they won’t just wait until later in the game to step up; they come out ready to compete.”
The Pistons came out sluggish, conceding 39 points in the first quarter while only managing 13 themselves. By the middle of the second quarter, they had more turnovers (10) than field goals made (9). Their slow offensive start and lack of defensive intensity put them in a significant disadvantage right away. Control of the ball was another issue, with Detroit committing 22 turnovers, including 16 steals by New York.
Throughout most of the game, the Knicks’ star players dominated. Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, while newly acquired center Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. OG Anunoby added another 21 points and 6 assists, and Mikal Bridges had 15 points, hitting some crucial shots.
For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham was the top scorer with 22 points and 6 assists. Turnovers have been a significant concern, and Cunningham has averaged one of the highest turnover rates in the league at 5.6 per game. However, he managed to improve in that area this time, committing just one turnover.
Rotation changes for Pistons
Detroit has had difficulty maintaining consistency in their frontcourt performance. Center Jalen Duren faced challenges defending against the versatile scoring of a stretch-big like Towns, resulting in a tough night for him. Duren played just 18 minutes and managed to score only five points during that time. In an effort to generate more space and offensive opportunities, Bickerstaff made adjustments to the lineup.
The Pistons’ head coach brought in guard Malik Beasley for Duren in the second quarter, resulting in a smaller lineup with forward Tobias Harris shifting to the center position. This change allowed Detroit to exploit some gaps in New York’s defense, although they still faced challenges defensively against the Knicks’ size and versatility. In the postgame media session, Bickerstaff explained the reasoning behind the lineup alteration.
“Just trying to find something that works. We wanted to be a bit disruptive and force them to chase us around. By putting five players on the floor who can spread out, we made their big guys cover more ground,” Bickerstaff said. “We aimed to switch things up and create some disruption. We were just looking for any spark, and I thought that lineup provided it.”
The Pistons will next take the court against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon.