Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff emphasized team defense and ball movement following Thursday’s 129-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Little Caesars Arena.
“Sorry to sound you know repetitive, but you know I thought the third quarter we did a lot of really good things. And then, you know, towards the end of the quarter, we started slipping. The guys got together, had a conversation, and then we turned it back up defensively,” Bickerstaff said.
The coach highlighted the Pistons’ passing, which resulted in 30 assists from multiple players. “It’s amazing how many times the right thing is just throw the ball to the open man, right? It seems simple, but it’s a concept our guys are, you know, bought into and it puts the defenses in such a tough position,” he explained.
Bickerstaff also noted the performance of rising star Ausar Thompson, who has shown defensive dominance. “It’s you know, at that age to be able to do what he does and have the understanding of it. You know he reminds me a lot and it looks it may look a little bit different, but of how Ron Artest used to be when he would defend… But I don’t think there’s many guys that do what Ausar does,” he said.
Offensive contributions were also a focus. Kevin Huerter scored 22 points while Daniss Jenkins added 19, helping the Pistons shoot 53.6% from three-point range. Bickerstaff praised Huerter’s aggressive and confident play. “He is a very good basketball player… He’s taking advantage of the opportunities. I love to see how aggressive he is, how free he’s playing, how confident he’s playing. And, you know, again, he adds a different dimension to our group,” he said.
Jalen Duren led the team with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Bickerstaff discussed the growth of younger players like Jenkins. “Our depth is still going to be a weapon for us. In times like this, with so many bodies down, you see how important our depth has been,” he stated.
Regarding player availability, the coach confirmed Duncan Robinson sat out due to soreness. “Just the right thing to do was to, you know, give him an opportunity to rest because we didn’t want to make it any worse,” Bickerstaff said.
The Pistons overcame a third-quarter surge from the Pelicans, who briefly closed the gap to 92-88. Detroit responded with a 15-2 run over three minutes, fueled by timely three-pointers from Huerter and Jenkins. Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 21 points, while former Piston Saddiq Bey added 17.
Detroit improves to 52-20 atop the Eastern Conference, while New Orleans falls to 25-48. The Pistons continue their road stretch against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, and the Pelicans travel to face the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
