J.B. Bickerstaff said Pistons center Isaiah Stewart ‘is the best defensive center in the league.’
J.B. Bickerstaff said Pistons center Isaiah Stewart ‘is the best defensive center in the league.’
Detroit — Cade Cunningham has made several plays this season that have changed the game in the Detroit Pistons’ favor. Most of his heroic moments come during the fourth quarter, as the All-NBA guard entered the contest against the Portland Trail Blazers with the league’s second-highest scoring average for the period at 9.5 points.
But inside Little Caesars Arena on Friday night, Duncan Robinson made the heroic plays. Robinson made his third 3-point field goal with 2:35 left in the fourth quarter. His basket tied the game at 110-110.
A few possessions later, Robinson connected on another significant 3-point field goal, which led to the Pistons securing a 122-116 victory. In his first game back from a right ankle sprain, Robinson scored eight of his 14 points in the final period, to go along with seven rebounds and two steals.
“He relishes those moments. Since we’ve had [Duncan], you would just watch him and he’s not afraid of the moment,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He loves the moment, and he knows it’s what this team needs. He is one of our best catch-and-shoot guys off the move, and he knows how to create those shots for himself — stretch the floor, create that space. But [he’s] got nerves of steel and a ton of courage.”
With the win, the Pistons improved to 18-5 on the season. Cunningham led the way for Detroit with 29 points, nine assists and four rebounds. Before fouling out, Jalen Duren recorded 18 points and eight rebounds. Ausar Thompson finished with 15 points, four rebounds and two assists.
“My mindset is to always be aggressive, and my teammates found me in good spots,” Robinson said. “I am always trying to find the open space and let it fly.”
BOX SCORE: Pistons 122, Trail Blazers 116
Robinson’s late-game heroics also helped the Pistons maintain their composure during a frustrating night with the officials.
Several moments throughout the official’s ruling left Bickerstaff and his players irritated. The most ominous one came late in the fourth quarter when Tobias Harris (10 points) missed a dunk due to the illegal contact made by Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III (eight points and 14 rebounds).
During Detroit’s next defensive possession, officials ruled Thompson’s foul on Jerami Grant’s 3-point shot as a flagrant, resulting in a seven-point swing for Portland. Grant contributed with 29 points, six rebounds and four assists for Portland.
Although emotions were high, the Pistons leaned upon the season motto of controlling the chaos. They maintained their composure, outscoring the Trail Blazers 19-10 in the last three minutes of the game.
“That’s growth for us, right? Things were happening out of our control, and instead of reacting to it, we went out and did the job. I give our guys a ton of credit for that because it wasn’t easy,” Bickerstaff said. “Last year, I think that would have rattled us. But this year, you’ve seen the maturation of our group. They were able to handle it well, stay calm and then go out and execute.”
Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 35 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Shaedon Sharpe added 28 points and five rebounds off the bench.
“At the middle of the second quarter, we all came together,” Ausar Thompson said. “We said that we’re not going to worry about [referees]. We’re just going to keep playing and not complain.”
“It is something we have to clean up.”
Bickerstaff speaks on the importance of fixing the team’s issue with turnovers. The #Pistons have averaged a league-high 19.2 turnovers over the past five games. pic.twitter.com/aLOdbEj63B
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) December 5, 2025Observations and notes
▶ Isaiah Stewart makes his case for DPOY: Isaiah Stewart has proven to be one of the top defensive big men in the league. However, against the Trail Blazers, Stewart may have begun his campaign for Defensive Player of the Year.
Stewart had one of his best defensive performances of the season, finishing the night with four blocks. Two of Stewart’s rejections came against Sidy Cissoko and Shaedon Sharpe, both of whom attempted to posterize him with one-handed dunks.
His defensive performance against the Trail Blazers marked the fourth time this season he finished the game with four or more blocks, tying him with Pacers’ Jay Huff and San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama for the most in the league.
“He is the best defensive center in the league, and it is not even close,” Bickerstaff said. “I think it’s time for everybody who watches basketball to recognize it. It is not just something we see here in Detroit. He is the best defensive big in the game.”
▶ Ron Holland coming up huge again: Ron Holland II delivered yet another performance that highlighted his continuous development. He came off the bench, adding 17 points, three rebounds, and a steal; however, his biggest illustration stemmed from his 3-point shooting. He finished the game shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
▶ Sasser is getting closer to returning: Marcus Sasser will soon rejoin the lineup after missing every game this season due to a hip injury. Sasser has spent the past week doing extra on-court workouts with the Motor City Cruise, which has upgraded his status to questionable.
Sasser followed his usual game-day routine, including being fully involved in the morning shootaround on Friday; however, the third-year guard remained sidelined for the 23rd straight game. Bickerstaff is excited to welcome Sasser back. He believes his skills will boost the Pistons’ production and depth, thanks to his on-court two-way ability.
“He looks good…He has proven that he fits our group.”
Bickerstaff speaks on how Marcus Sasser has performed during team workouts and the intangibles he will contribute to the team once he returns. #Pistons pic.twitter.com/qfi0ZOb2oN
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) December 5, 2025
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
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