DETROIT – J.B. Bickerstaff said before Wednesday night’s game that the Pistons do not view any game as a “measuring stick” type of game.
That said, his team’s outing against the Celtics was meaningful in so many ways.
Detroit defeated the defending champions, and in the process won their eighth straight game. That’s the Pistons’ longest winning streak since 2008.
The game against Boston was their first meeting since December, and Wednesday night was a sign of just how far this team has come in the last two months.
The Pistons took an early 15 point lead, only for Boston to tie the game up at 55 before the half. But Detroit owned the final two quarters, beating the reigning NBA champions by 20 points.
Since Dec. 21, the Pistons have posted a 22-9 record. It’s a team that’s learning to win all while doing it together.
Detroit is showing that it has all the right pieces to continue this turnaround toward the end of the season.
They’ve got an emerging superstar in Cade Cunningham, who is considered a contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player this season. Cade’s All-Star resume continues to get better as the season goes on. From the start of the new year to now, Cunningham’s 27.5 points per game ranked 7th in the NBA.
His impact is going beyond the scoresheet, too. Bickerstaff continues to sing his star player’s praises every chance he gets.
“He just has the ability to bring people with him,” Bickerstaff told Local 4 this month. “Everything he does is for the people around him. That’s the thing that makes him special.”
Pair him with veteran offseason acquisitions and home-grown talent, and you’re seeing a team that’s putting together a quality season.
Malik Beasley was brought in to improve the team’s three-point game. He has done that and then some.
Beasley broke the franchise record for made threes in a season with 28 games to play. In February, he leads the NBA with 5.0 made three pointers a game while making 42.5% of his three point attempts this season.
Young talent is also emerging, especially Ausar Thompson. On this winning streak, Thompson is proving to be a valuable player across the scoring sheet.
Thompson is averaging 11.6 points a game in the last eight games along with 38 steals, the 2nd most steals in the NBA during that span.
Combine that with the veteran voice of Tobias Harris, an experienced trade deadline pickup in Dennis Schroder and two big men who continue to get better in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, the Pistons appear to have the right formula to find even more success.
“I believe that confidence is real,” Bickerstaff said after Wednesday’s win.
The head coach and this team continue to believe in their process. Now, it’s your turn to join in on that optimism, Detroit.