Post-Game Press Conference: J.B. Bickerstaff | Pistons vs Celtics | 10.26.2025

Post-Game Press Conference: J.B. Bickerstaff | Pistons vs Celtics | 10.26.2025

JB, what clicked after that first quarter to find a new gear and and get things going for this group? Uh, credit to our bench group. Uh, I thought our bench group came in and great gave great energy. Um, and just changed the spirit of the game. Um, they’re, you know, the fight that they had like loose balls, rebounds, getting out in transition, defending the way that we know we’re capable of. So, I give our bench a ton of credit u because I think they sparked us tonight. And with rebounding and just the commitment to winning on the glass that seemed like it was really evident here tonight and winning that battle, what can you say about the efforts from guys like Jaylen Duran and Assar Thompson? Yeah, I mean we we’re we aim to win the possession game. Um and that’s both sides of the ball. That means you got a defensive rebound, means you got offensive rebound. Uh and I thought both of those guys did a tremendous job on both ends. Um you know, that’s what this game comes down to. you know, hopefully we can get better at taking care of the ball, but if we can take care of the ball and out rebound our opponents, we’re going to give ourselves a chance every night. So, uh, guys have to be committed to it. I commend them because it’s not easy. Uh, it’s physical, it’s dirty. Um, you know, it’s gritty, but it’s all the things that our team is and what we’re made of. So, um, you that just works in our favor. Jamie, uh JD gets his fourth foul early there in the third quarter and you decided to keep him out there for I think it was eight minutes. Can you just talk about uh the thought process there and obviously he he kind of rewarded you with a big performance and and how he responds when he faces that adversity? Yeah, it it becomes the trust, right? Uh and believing that he can still do the right things that the team is going to need him to do um but not pick up that fifth one. And you know, like we believe in JD at a high level. Um, you know, we trusted him at a high level, uh, and gave him the opportunity to go out there and do it. And like you said, um, you know, he rewarded his teammates with a phenomenal effort. Um, you know, I couldn’t be more proud of him. Uh, JB Assaarus talked about just wanting to be more aggressive offensively and, uh, obviously he had some big plays late with his offensive rebounding. just what have you seen from him just from a comfort level with the ball and just his comfort in making plays late? I mean, he can uh but he can do it in so many different ways. You know, he’s not onedimensional uh as an offensive player. Like, you know, getting offensive rebounds and putbacks, uh helps our offense. You know, making cuts when other guys have the ball behind the vision, you know, and catching the ball in the paint helps our offense. When he makes sprays, uh when he attacks the paint, that helps our offense. So, there’s so many different ways that he can help us offensively. um you know, and he’s just going to continue to grow and get more comfortable. But I think he’s feeling uh he’s in a really good place right now to have uh back-to-back games at home, have this one go the way it did today. How do you keep this team stacking momentum the way it has? They’ve been able to win in three different or two different ways so far throughout the season, but where do you go from here? here. I know it’s early, but yeah, the same place, you know, that that’s for us is um you know, these two games, uh Houston and then, you know, moments tonight, like these are identity wins for us. Um you know, we didn’t play perfect. Um but I felt like we outworked them, you know, we outgred them. Um you know, in the two games that we’ve won, and that’s who we have to be every single night. So regardless of what tomorrow’s outcome is, you know, if our guys go out and out grit somebody, outwork them, uh, and do it together and play more selfless, like we’re going to give ourselves a chance. But, uh, that’s the most important thing that we can do is every single night be who we are and play Detroit Pistons basketball. Hey, Coach, can you speak on Tobias Harris because he really kind of got things going for you guys in the first half when I think he had like 14 of his 18 points. Yeah, I’ve told you this, you know, in the past, like he’s my safety blanket. Um, whenever things aren’t going well, um, you know, he’s the guy that I can lean on and I know that he’s going to do the right thing. Uh, and he’s that for his teammates as well. You know, we have the utmost trust in him. Um, you know, as a player, but like you just know his character and his character is going to give you an opportunity because he’s going to do the right thing. Uh, and then he has the courage to do it when it’s needed most. Coach, you limited it limited the Celtics to 48 um between the second and third quarters. What specifically was working well defensively for you all there? Uh we actually played it. It was that simple. The first quarter, you I mean like we just didn’t do the things necessary uh to be good defensively. Uh in the second third quarter, I thought we did, you know, and even fourth quarter, you know, we gave up some threes because we weren’t up and picking rolls. But, you know, we just got to have those habits um because we know we’re capable of it. We just have to have the habits to do it over and over again. Another productive game for uh K Cunningham. Um you’re seeing a lot of extra attention sent his way from defenders, you know, double teams, triple teams. Looked like he might have got a little frustrated I think in the third quarter. What’s been the message to kind of keep him level-headed and kind of just playing through it. Yeah, I mean it’s, you know, it is frustrating being him, right? Like the things that people are allowed to do to him um from a physicality standpoint because he’s a bigger guard, you know, he’s treated a little bit different from that standpoint. Uh, so it can be frustrating. Like you look at him tonight, his face is swollen, his hips bruised, his knees bruised um because he has to play through so much contact, but it’s important for him to understand how important he is to us and, you know, how he has to maintain his composure uh and where he is mentally because we need him. And I think he showed that time and time again that even through those frustrations and he may have a moment, uh, he bounces back really quickly because he understands again how to lead his team and how much his team looks to him and relies on him. JB, along those same lines, it seems like a lot more teams this year are emphasizing picking up 94 feet and as as you alluded to, you know, putting that pressure on Kate, like how does that change things for him and maybe for kind of the other ball handlers on your team, too? Yeah, I mean what teams are, you know, clearly trying to get you into your offense later in the clock. Um I’m sure like all of us, they you know, we did the study on uh time of clock to first action and all those things and understand how offenses efficiency drops uh at a certain number. Um but it just does it also wears your primary ball handlers out uh and forces them, you know, in the fourth quarter uh for a gut check because now your legs are more tired and all those things. So what we have to do is get the ball out of bounds more quickly so that they don’t have an opportunity to set their defense and I think that’s one of the things like we were slow to get the ball in bounds tonight. Um so it allowed them to set their defense more. Last one. All right JB is this a sense uh much different than the beginning of last year where you aren’t sneaking up on anybody? It seems like you guys are getting everyone’s best punch. Not even just K with the double and triple teams, but even Tobias getting double teamed. And looks like teams are really trying to take you out your your rhythm early. Yeah, it’s a respect thing. Uh I think, you know, the level of respect the league has for this team now, uh compared to where it was when we we got here last year is completely different. Um you know, we’ve proven how competitive we can be. Our guys have proven how tough they are. Um you know, and how talented they are. So when you do that, uh teams, you know, they prepare for you differently. Uh they make adjustments, especially, you know, a team like Boston that’s got so many veteran players, uh that they can do different things schematically. um and get it in, you know, for a game. So, yeah, teams are going to prepare for you differently, but it’s clearly a sign of respect, and that’s what you would rather have. Appreciate y’all.

Welcome to Pistons TV! If you’re craving those genuine moments, exclusive behind-the-scenes access, and everything #DetroitBasketball, then subscribe to the official YouTube channel of the #Pistons: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtcSBo9EzOtXHxiPhU6RN8A

𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗧 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗘 » https://www.pistons.com
𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣 𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗛 » https://www.pistons313shop.com/
𝗕𝗨𝗬 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 » https://www.nba.com/pistons/tickets
𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗟𝗢𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗣𝗣: https://www.nba.com/pistons/mobile

𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 𝗨𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 ⬇
Twitter » https://twitter.com/DetroitPistons
Instagram » https://www.instagram.com/detroitpistons/
Facebook » https://www.facebook.com/detroitpistons
TikTok » https://www.tiktok.com/@detroitpistons