Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff talks suspensions, team unity, and West Coast road trip

DETROIT – Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff talked about team chemistry, the brawl with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the suspensions from the NBA handed down to Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland II, and Marcus Sasser ahead of their West Coast road trip.

The Thunder are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and have the best record in the league at 63-12.

Detroit has already been short-handed with All-Star guard Cade Cunningham missing time due to a calf injury, and Jaden Ivey, who suffered a broken left fibula on Jan. 1, 2025, but the city is built on grit and toughness.

When push comes to shove, defending yourself is not just the character of the Pistons, but it’s a non-negotiable while showing resilience and competitive spirit.

“It’s just who we are. It’s the makeup of these guys. It’s enabled us to grow quickly because that level of competition never shuts off, whether it’s chasing a loose ball or setting a screen. Whatever it may be, whatever battle comes. To play at that level of competition, our guys always assume that.”

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff

The Pistons are a young team making tremendous strides this season, essentially going from worst to first or, in their case, the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 42-33 record.

The youthfulness of Detroit also means that judging by their actions on Sunday, March 30, 2025, night, they are still learning valuable lessons.

Bickerstaff emphasized the importance of maintaining composure during challenging moments.

“I mean, we have to understand that teams are going to try to push our buttons, you know, we had a lead in that game, and we were playing well, and they were trying to push our buttons to kind of, you know, turn the tide of the game, and we have to be able to walk away in those moments. It’s the ultimate sign of respect. You know, if you can’t beat us on the court, you try to turn the game into something else. So we got to make sure that we’re prepared for that because we got games that matter and have high significance.”

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff

When discussing the league’s recent decisions on suspensions of the Pistons’ key players, Bickerstaff expressed disappointment and understanding.

“I was disappointed in it, but I understand where they come from and what they’re trying to protect. You know, I was disappointed for our guys, obviously, and we’ll miss those guys, but, you know, we got to go on a road trip and try to find a way to win two games.”

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff

Bickerstaff said he remained focused on the upcoming road trip, aiming to secure two wins in this tight race as the Pistons are two games back of the Indiana Pacers for the No. 4 seed and up two games in the win column on the No. 6 seed Milwaukee Bucks who’ve just lost All-Star guard Damian Lillard to injury for the remainder of the season.

Speaking of health, Bickerstaff said Motor Cade was getting better, but the future face of the league will continue to be day to day.

While down a few key players with seven games remaining in the regular season, Bickerstaff praised the team’s depth, highlighting the performance of different players stepping up in Cunningham’s absence.

There were four different leading scorers in those games, alongside three guys leading the team in assists.

“I mean, it’s just the depth of this team. You know. Again, give Trajan (Langdon) and the front office a ton of credit for putting this roster together and putting guys that we can depend on. You know, one through 15, at some point in time, we’ve called their number, and they’ve been able to produce for us. So we’re excited to have this group. We’ve got guys that we’re confident in and that we trust."

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff

Fans of the Pistons or the new-look Detroit Bad Boys are excited that the team is playing well enough that they are in the hunt for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.

Even the bench gets involved with over-excitement, which is contagious and spreads throughout Little Caesars Arena and into millions of homes of Pistons fans.

Look how hyped the bench got the other night when “Beef Stew” was cooking and crossed up Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Evan Mobley for the contested layup while drawing the foul.

“When adversity hits, you know, when you’re on the road, you know, whatever it may be, that stuff matters, and those are signs of a team that’s connected. That’s a sign of teams that are unselfish and teams that are bought into doing something greater than themselves. And you know, we got that in spades. Our guys love playing with each other; they love playing for each other. And there’s no, you know, no one who’s not willing to sacrifice of themselves for somebody else.”

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff

The Pistons’ youth movement and kid-like spirit reflect their progress as they’re the first team to triple their win total from the year before in NBA history.

With winning comes a better atmosphere, especially in front of the home fans who pay their hard-earned money to see a good quality of play from a once-struggling team.

“I mean, night and day, you know, the amount of people that are in the building, the energy in the building, you know, this is what it’s like. What I remember it being like playing against the teams that were in the playoffs and those types of things. So we knew the basketball culture was here. We knew the fan base was here. It was our responsibility to pull them out. And I think our guys with the spirited play, you know, how fun it is to watch our guys play, how aggressive they are, how they’re willing to attack. You know, I think fans love that style of basketball, and our guys are giving it to him.”

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff

Look for Bickerstaff’s young bunch to fight for the fourth seed as they’ll start their two-game road trip in Oklahoma City on Wednesday against the Thunder at 9:30 p.m.

Then they’ll travel to Canada, where they will take on the Toronto Raptors on Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.

Check out the full interview below: