The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons improved to 44-14 on Friday night with a 122-119 overtime win against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the final stretch reflected what his group has shown all season.
“I don’t think it revealed anything, right?” Bickerstaff said of the closing minutes. “I think that’s who we’ve been and our guys continue to show up when their numbers call in a moment that big.”
Detroit trailed by nine with 2:44 left in regulation and lost Cade Cunningham to fouls with 1:56 remaining, yet outscored Cleveland 16-7 to force overtime.
“For Daniss to be at the line, hit all three. I mean, just the poise that a young player shows in that moment,” Bickerstaff said. “He’s been mature. It’s not surprising anymore what he’s done. When his number’s been called, whatever the moment’s been, he showed up and he’s been productive for us and effective for us.”
Daniss Jenkins drew a three-shot foul with 4.7 seconds left and made all three free throws to tie the game at 114, shifting momentum before the extra period.
Jalen Duren anchored the interior with 33 points and 16 rebounds, marking his fourth straight game with at least 25 points.
“I think it’s that moment where you figure it out, right?” Bickerstaff said of the third-year center. “And all the things just come together and I think they’re coming together for him. The game slowed down for him. Him understanding the spacing and when to attack, like all those things have slowed down and given opportunities.”
The 6-foot-10 big man shot 11-of-19 from the field and 11-of-15 from the line, repeatedly finishing through contact as Cleveland played without James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
Bickerstaff also adjusted his rotation and turned to Marcus Sasser for a key stretch.
“His defense, his energy, his ability to space the floor,” the coach said. “It’s just like that next man up mentality, but there’s a juice that comes with it. I thought he brought that tonight.”
Sasser went scoreless but helped stabilize possessions as Detroit finished with 56 rebounds and 21 offensive boards, creating extra chances despite shooting 22 percent from three.
When asked if he expected Duren’s leap to happen this quickly after challenging him over the summer, Bickerstaff kept it simple.
“The work that he put in is paying off and that’s all I can say.”
Even after Cunningham fouled out and Duncan Robinson exited, the head coach expressed trust in his depth.
“You lose Cade, obviously, that hurts. You lose Duncan, that hurts,” Bickerstaff said. “But we keep saying, we’re deep and we trust the guys we have on the floor that they can go out and make plays and they did that again tonight.”
The game lasted 3 hours, 22 minutes after an 18-minute third-quarter delay caused by a scoreboard malfunction, yet Detroit closed with composure to secure its second straight win.
