Detroit is staying composed even as its grip on first place in the Eastern Conference weakens following the team’s roughest stretch of the year, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports.
The Pistons fell for the fourth consecutive game Sunday in Miami, trimming their conference lead to just two-and-a-half games over Boston.
“It’s the NBA, right? And you look at the season, it’s long,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Everybody goes through difficult times or goes through a little bit of a rut. And we just found ours right now. And again, we’ve got plenty of time left to do what we got to do.
“Boston, obviously, is a good team. But we’re not concerned about Boston. Our biggest concern is making sure we’re doing what we need to do to go out and be as good as we possibly can.”
Cade Cunningham rejoined the lineup after missing Saturday’s loss to Brooklyn with a left quad contusion and produced 26 points and 10 assists, but Detroit was still unable to snap its losing streak.
Reynolds highlights the difficulty of the recent schedule, noting that three of the four losses came against Cleveland, San Antonio, and Miami.
The quality of competition is a major reason the Pistons are keeping the slump in perspective.
“Obviously, it’s probably our biggest dose of adversity all year,” Tobias Harris said. “We’ll be fine. Keep our head high and just (move) on to the next. But along this way, along this journey, let’s figure out ways that we can be better as a group.”
ICYMI: The Pistons aren’t panicking even though their comfortable lead atop the East has eroded after their worst week of the season. That + more from around the Central. https://t.co/eN90XyygCI
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 9, 2026
